THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


SALANDER 


THE     DRAGON: 

3  llnninntp  of  ty*  jDarti  jprisnn. 


BY 


FREDERIC  WILLIAM  SHELTON,  M.A.. 

RECTOR    OF     ST.    JOHN'S     CHURCH,     HUNTINGTON,    N.    V. 


Never  any  tiling  can  come  amiss, 
When  simplene59  and  duty  tender  it. 

Midsummer  Nighfi  Ore 


SECOND   THOUSAND. 


NEW    YORK: 

SAMUEL   HUESTON,   139   NASSAU   STREET. 

GEORGE  P.  PUTNAM,  155  BROADWAY. 

1851. 


Entered,  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850,  by 
SAMUEL  HUESTON, 

tn  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District 
of  New  York. 


BAKER  AND  FALMEB,   8TF.RKOTVPEBS,    NEW  i'OKK. 


TS 


PREFACE. 


THE  following  little  allegory  is  intended  to  illus- 
trate the  danger  of  uttering  or  of  lending  ear  to 
the  unkind  word  or  insinuation,  a  sin  which  may 
justly  be  esteemed  as  a  root  of  bitterness,  and 
from  which,  in  some  shape  or  other,  none  but 
those  who  are  nearly  angels  are  exempt.  The 
application  being  so  general,  although  a  few  of  the 
following  pages  may  appear  too  light  for  the  high 
moral  design  which  we  have  desired  to  convey,  it 
is  hoped  that  this  error,  if  it  be  one,  may  be  par- 
doned, because  the  intention  is  good.  Should  this 
simple  offering  be  the  means  of  drawing  attention 
to  the  detestable  habit  of  detraction,  and  of  pre- 
senting it  in  a  just  light,  its  object  will  be  attained. 


1188754 


"  ALAS  I  it  if  strange  to  consider  the  depravity  of  our  nature — how 
we  delight  in  other  men's  sins,  and  are  secretly  glad  when  their  mis- 
carriages  give  us  an  occasion  to  reproach  or  disgrace  them.  How 
many  are  big  with  such  stuff,  and  go  in  pain  till  they  have  dis- 
Imrthened  themselves  into  the  ears  of  others !  And  some  are  such 
ill  dissemblers  of  their  joy,  that  they  do  it  with  open  scorn  and  ir- 
rision.  Others  are  more  artfully  malicious,  and  with  a  deep  sigh, 
and  tlowncasf  look,  and  whining  voice,  and  an  urt'i-ctfil  soberness, 
whisper  to  one,  'Alas!  did  you  not  hear  of  such  a  gross  miscarriage 
by  such  a  one?'  And  then  whisper  the  same  thing  to  another,  and  a 
third ;  and  when  they  have  made  it  as  public  as  they  can,  hypocrit- 
ically desire  every  one  to  keep  it  secret,  for  that  they  should  be  loth 
their  neighbor  should  come  to  any  disgrace  or  trouble  about  it.  Be- 
lieve it,  sirs,  this,  though  the  matter  you  report  be  never  so  true,  U 
notning  else  but  SLANDEB." — OLD  AUTHOR. 


SALANDER  AND  THE  DRAGON, 


BOOK   I. 


THERE  was  a  very  faithful  jailer,  who,  in  the 
center  of  the  territory  where  he  lived,  kept  an 
important  fortress,  called  the  Hartz  Prison. 
He  held  the  place  under  the  Lord  of  Consci- 
enza,  a  noble  of  the  purest  blood,  and  very 
strict  toward  his  vassals.  Goodman,  who  had 
hitherto  been  a  devoted  servant,  kept  the  keys 
in  his  own  possession,  knew  every  secret  access, 
and  placed  an  especial  guard  on  those  places 
most  liable  to  assault.  Never  had  a  prisoner 
escaped.  Every  night,  before  he  kneeled  down 
to  say  his  prayers,  his  examination  began,  and 
the  red  light  of  his  candle  streamed  into  all  the 
apertures  of  the  prison,  of  which  the  walls  were 
of  clay.  Every  morning  also  he  made  arrange- 
ments to  keep  the  place,  that  nothing  should 
enter  in  or  go  out  without  his  knowledge.  Se- 
1* 


10  SALANDER    AND 

cure  only  while  the  magic  keys  were  beneath 
his  own  girdle,  if  he  betrayed  his  trust,  the 
Lord  alone  knew  how  terrible  would  be  the  pen- 
alty to  the  keeper  of  the  Hartz  Prison. 

One  summer  night,  as  sank  the  sun  and  cast 
its  golden  radiance  on  the  two  great,  beautiful 
windows  of  the  castle,  sat  Goodman  on  his  door- 
sill,  solemnly  musing,  and  asking  himself  this 
question :  "  Have  I  done  all  things  this  day  to 
please  the  Lord  of  Conscienza  1".  Scarce  was 
the  thought  conceived,  when  clattering  hoofs 
were  heard  upon  the  pavement  of  the  outer 
court,  and  a  knight,  covered  with  dust,  and 
breathless  with  haste,  dismounted  and  stood 
before  him.  Goodman  took  him,  by  his  bustling 
and  important  air,  to  have  come  on  business  of 
tlu-  state,  and,  in  fact,  he  immediately  announced 
himself  as  Don  Officioso,'  an  officer  of  high  de- 
gree, who  came  not  willingly  or  on  his  own  er- 
rand, but  to  obey  the  mandate  of  the  Lord  of 
Conscienza.  The  first  question  he  asked  was 
whether  the  castle  were  in  all  parts  secure.  He 
received  answer  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Then,"  said  he,  "  I  have  a  prisoner  for 
you.  I  have  held  him  myself  in  custody  until 
it  is  not  safe  to  keep  him  longer ;  and  as  you 


THE    DRAGON.  11 

arc  known  to  be  a  proper  person,  and  he  has 
been  struggling  to  escape,  it  has  been  deemed 
best  to  bring  him  to  you,  lest,  in  some  unguard- 
ed moment,  when  I  am  asleep  or  over  the  was- 
sail bowl,  he  might  slip  away.  But  if  I  give 
him  you,  guard  him  with  lock  and  key,  bolt  and 
nails.  You  won't  let  him  peep  out  of  the  eye- 
hole, will  you,  Goodman'?" 

The  jailer's  curiosity  was  excited  by  this 
mysterious  arrival,  and  although  he  felt  his 
pride  wounded  at  having  his  fidelity  questioned, 
he  asked  to  entertain  the  prisoner  at  once. 

"  If  he  escape  from  your  custody,"  said  Don 
Officioso,  "  you  and  I  and  a  third  party  will  be 
eternally  ruined.  Do  you  think  that  you  can 
be  certain,  Goodman?" 

The  jailer  was  affronted. 

"  There  are  several  ways,  sir  knight,"  said 
he,  "  by  which  the  Hartz  Prison  may  be  enter- 
ed :  there  is  but  one  way  by  which  any  shall  get 
out,  and  that  is  through  the  ivory  portals^which' 
all  the  genii  in  the  world  can  not  unlock  without 
my  knowledge  or  consent.  See,"  he  said,  point- 
ing with  his  finger  to  where  the  setting  sun  shone 
through  the  dry  and  leafless  boughs  of  a  forest 
of  blasted  pines,  as  if  the  whole  wood  were  on 


12  SALANDER   AND 

fire,  "  let  the  ax  gleam  at  the  root  of  yon  trees 
— pile  up  the  pitchy  branches  against  the  Hartz 
Pi  MM  in  :  the  clay  walls  may  crumble  to  a  hand- 
full  of  dust,  the  secrets  of  the  prison-house  may 
be  destroyed  with  it,  but  escape  they  can  not." 
Ami  Goodman  placed  his  hand  upon  his  breast, 
and  smiled. 

"  Enough,"  answered  Officioso ;  "  I  can  not 
doubt  your  good  intent.  Pardon  my  suspicions, 
but  in  this  world  nobody  knows  whom  to  trust. 
Not  willingly  have  I  come  on  this  disagreeable 
job.  I  wish  that  I  could  hold  the  prisoner  my- 
self, and  save  you  the  responsibility ;  but  it  is 
better  for  all  parties  that  you  should  have  him, 
as  I  am  now  convinced  that,  under  your  care, 
he  will  go  no  further,  and  my  own  mind  will  be 
very  much  unburdened  and  relieved.  You  will 
be  frightened  a  little  at  first."  Here  he  lower- 
ed his  tone  to  a  whisper.  "  He  is — he  is — he 
ia — you  would  hardly  think  him  a  creature  of 
flesh  and  blood — a  green-eyed,  ugly  little  dwarf, 
nanird  Salander,  without  bones,  who  can  be 
doubled  into  all  shapes,  like  an  elastic  substance, 
and  >tn-tch  himself  out  like  the  same." 

Goodman's  wife,  who  heard  this — for  she  was 
listening  at  the  keyhole— immediately  fell  down 


THE    DRAGON.  13 

with  a  piercing  shriek,  and  water  was  thrown 
upon  her  face. 

"  What  do  you  mean,"  said  she  to  her  hus- 
band, when  she  came  to,  "  in  harboring  such  a 
thing  1  You  shan't  do  it.  It  will  be  your  ruin. 
No  such  shall  come  into  the  castle,  or  else  you 
get  some  one  else  to  take  care  of  your  dairy." 

"  Silence,  woman,"  replied  Goodman,  "  we 
are  but  the  servants  of  others.  The  Lord  of 
Conscienza  wills  it.  With  that  he  dismissed 
her.  "  Where  is  your  prisoner  sir  knight  *?" 
said  he. 

"  I  have  him  with  me,"  replied  Officioso. 

Goodman  could  see  from  his  door  the  whole 
country  round  about,  but  observed  no  person 
or  carriage  approaching. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  he,  "  you  have  him  under 
guard  in  the  distant  thick  forest." 

"  No,"  replied  the  other,  "  I  have  him  with 
me." 

"  Where  is  he  ?"  said  the  puzzled  jailer. 

"  Under  my  coat,"  shrieked  the  knight,  jump- 
ing fantastically  about  the  pavement,  like  one 
possessed  with  an  unclean  spirit.  "  Quick,  quick, 
he  is  tearing  my  intestines.  Let  me  commit  him 
to  you,  or  he  will  be  off  into  the  country." 


14  SALANDER    AM) 

"  Tliis  way,  this  way,''  said  the  honest  jailer, 
quickening  his  motions,  and  forthwith  led  the 
way  to  a  winding,  ingenious  passage  called  Ear- 
Ian,  connected  with  the  inmost  cells  of  the 
Hartz  Prison.  It  was  a  gallery  in  which  a 
sounding  drum  was  so  ingeniously  suspended  as 
by  its  rapid  vibrations  to  give  notice  of  every 
footstep  and  every  sound.  The  slightest  whis- 
per roared  and  reverberated  through  it  like 
thunder  among  the  mountains. 

"  Just  put  your  prisoner  here,"  said  Good- 
man. 

The  knight  unbuttoned  his  coat  and  made  a 
clean  breast  of  it.  "  Depart  from  me,  Sa- 
lander,"  he  exclaimed  ;  and  as  he  spoke  the 
echoes  rolled  back  through  the  tortuous  cham- 
bers upon  his  very  heart,  "  Salander  !  Salander  ! 
Salander  !"  when  he  put  spurs  to  his  steed, 
and,  as  if  he  were  flying  away  from  his  own 
deeds,  rode  furiously,  and  was  enveloped  in  a 
cloud  of  dust,  and  no  more  seen  ;  only  the 
sound  of  his  horse's  hoofs  were  for  a  long  time 
thrown  back  upon  the  precincts  of  the  Hartz 
Prison.  As  he  went,  he  said  to  himself,  "  I 
have  got  clear  of  him  at  last,  and  good  riddance. 
If  any  one  comes  to  me  about  the  li ttle  fellow,  I 


THE    DRAGON.  15 

will  refer  to  Goodman,  and  deny  all  agency  in 
the  matter.  He  must  now  father  the  responsi- 
bility, and  account  in  the  best  manner  that  he 
can  for  the  possession  of  Salander." 

As  for  the  jailer,  he  was  so  extremely  fright- 
ened at  the  possession  of  his  new  comer,  that  he 
hurried  him  through  the  passage  without  even 
looking  at  him,  and  pushing  him  into  an  inner- 
most cell,  put  the  key  in  his  pocket  and  walked 
away,  trembling  like  an  aspen  leaf.  Presently, 
when  he  had  gathered  courage,  he  thought 
that  he  would  take  a  little  peep  at  the  pris- 
oner, to  see  what  manner  of  creature  he  was. 
So  he  crept  up  softly,  taking  off  his  shoes  first 
in  the  corridor,  that  his  approach  might  not  be 
perceived,  and  drawing  the  slide  and  applying 
his  eye  to  the  aperture,  Goodman  was  amazed 
to  see  a  most  hideous  imp  about  the  size  of  a 
large  jug.  His  eyes  were  green  as  grass,  and 
flew  from  side  to  side  like  shuttlecocks ;  his 
body  was  jointless,  and  black  as  if  an  African 
sun  had  shone  on  it  for  a  century ;  he  had  an 
immense  mouth,  and  his  ears  stuck  far  out  at 
the  side  of  his  head.  Such  was  Salander.  He 
was  lying  sulkily  crouched  in  a  corner  of  the  cell, 
like  a  small  bundle,  but  the  moment  he  saw  an 


16  SALANDER    AND 

eye  on  him  he  screamed  aloud,  and  began  to 
dash  his  head  and  body  against  the  walls  of  the 
cell,  to  be  let  out. 

"  Silence,"  exclaimed  the  jailer,  "  and  make 
yourself  perfectly  at  home,  my  boy.  The  prison 
is  dark,  but  such  as  you  are  not  ornamental 
enough  for  the  light.  You  certainly  can  not  be 
ambitious  to  cut  a  figure  in  the  world,  unless  it 
be  to  hang  on  as  footman  behind  the  devil's  car- 
riage, or  to  drive  a  brimstone  cart  through  the 

streets  of .  Well,  well,  dash  your  brains 

out  if  you  please,  darling,  but  come  out  you 
never  shall  while  my  name  is  Goodman." 

So  saying  he  drew  the  slide,  and  it  was  well 
he  did,  for  a  little  globule  of  spittle,  aimed  with 
all  the  precision  of  a  Yangy  bowman,  struck 
upon  the  very  spot  where  his  eye  had  been. 
Much  troubled  in  mind  he  walked  away,  when 
his  wife  met  him,  in  a  sulky  humor. 

"  Goodman,"  said  she,  "  I  think  that  in  the 
affairs  of  this  household  I  am  worthy  to  be  con- 
sulted. But  since  you  are  determined  to  take 
this  monster  to  board  against  my  advice,  I  think 
that  the  least  which  you  can  do  is  to  let  me  see 
him. 

Goodman  refused,  point  blank,  for  he  was  a 


THE    DRAGON.  17 

pretty  determined  man,  and  accustomed  to  have 
his  own  way. 

"Not  the  wife  of  your  bosom?"  said  she, 
putting  on  a  look  which  to  the  uxorious  is  irre- 
sistible. 

"  Not  if  she  were  an  angel — which  she  is 
not,"  said  the  faithful  jailer. 

"  Upon  my  word,"  said  she,  "  you  are  com- 
plimentary. Pray  take  the  consequence ;"  and 
she  dropped  down  in  an  hysteric  fit. 

All  the  people  in  the  castle  were  set  running 
as  soon  as  the  cry  was  raised  that  she  was  going 
off.  It  took  two  hours  to  recover  her,  while  in 
the  midst  of  the  alarm  and  confusion  occasioned 
by  the  scene,  one  running  for  a  basin  to  bleed 
her  in,  another  for  bandages  to  bind  up  her  lily- 
white  arm,  the  little  imp  kept  kicking  violently 
against  the  doors  of  the  cell,  crying,  "  Let  me 
out — let  me  out — let  me  out." 

"  That  sounds  like  Salander's  voice,"  said 
the  leech,  "  and  if  it  is  so,  I  don't  expect  to  see 
the  walls  of  this  castle  standing  much  longer  ;" 
and  without  saying  another  word,  he  adminis- 
tered an  opiate  and  retired. 

This  was  but  the  beginning  of  evils.  The 
jailer  was  under  constant  anxiety,  and  kept  upon 


18  SALANDER  AND 

the  watch,  with  scarce  time  to  eat  his  meals,  or 
attend  to  other  prisoners  who,  however,  were 
of  a  different  character.  The  little  dwarf  made 
so  great  a  rumpus,  and  kicked  with  such  a 
lusty  strength  as  greatly  to  damage  the  walls  of 
his  cell,  and  to  interfere  with  the  quiet  of  the 
castle.  It  was  especially  after  the  household 
had  retired  to  bed  at  night  that  his  cries  became 
outrageous. 

"There  he  goes  again,"  the  jailer's  wife 
would  exclaim.  "  Didn't  I  tell  you  not  to  en- 
tertain him  ?" 

"Bang!  bang!" 

"Some  of  these  days,  Goodman,  you  will 
learn  to  set  a  little  store  by  what  I  say — after 
I'm  dead  and  gone,  perhaps." 

"  Let  me  out !  let  me  out !" 

"  Have  you  made  up  your  mind  yet  to  let  me 
see  the  wretch  ?" 

"  Ululu !     Ululu !" 

"  Oh,  I  can't  sleep,"  exclaims  the  wife,  jump- 
ing  out  of  bed,  and  sitting  bolt  upright  in  the 
easy  chair.  "  There  is  no  use  of  making  the 
attempt.  I'm  worn  out.  To  be  just  getting 
into  a  pleasant  doze,  and  woke  out  of  sleep  by  a 
nasty  monster.  Why  don't  you  wring  his  neck  V9 


THE   DRAGON.  19 

"•  Now  you  talk  sensibly,  my  dear.  I  will 
think  of  your  proposal." 

Goodman's  wife  got  into  bed.  The  anxiety 
of  the  jailer  continued  from  day  to  day.  Not 
only  was  there  reason  to  suppose  that  Salander 
would  break  out  by  main  force,  but  that  he 
would  squeeze  himself  through  the  keyhole,  for 
Goodman  doubted  whether  he  were  a  creature 
of  flesh  and  blood,  and  the  heart  of  the  little 
monster  seemed  to  be  set  on  getting  loose.  It 
was  hardly  safe  to  give  him  enough  room  to 
breathe  in,  or  more  food  than  would  keep  a  dor- 
mouse. As  it  was,  he  waxed  mischievous  on 
air.  Goodman  began  to  regret  that  he  had  not 
made  more  inquiries  of  the  knight  about  the 
prisoner,  or  rather  that  he  had  not  raised  some 
question  about  the  knight  himself.  He  sought 
him,  but  he  could  nowhere  be  found.  He  asked 
a  neighbor  where  he  might  direct  a  letter  to  a 
person  of  his  description,  who  told  him  to  seal 
his  package  well,  and  address  it  to  "  Nowhere 
Hall."  He  immediately  sat  down,  and  indited 
a  letter  thus  : 

"  For  the  Department  of  State. 
"  To  DON  OFFICIOSO,  GREETING  : 

"  May  it  please  you,  sir,  the  prisoner  com- 


20  SALANDER    AND 

mitted  to  my  charge  gives  me  a  great  deal  of 
trouble.  It  is  not  this  which  I  complain  of,  for 
I  am  perfectly  willing  to  do  my  duty,  but  as  his 
safe  keeping  is  no  doubt  of  the  highest  moment, 
could  you  not  commit  him  to  a  stronger  fortress  ? 
I  greatly  fear  that  these  walls  cannot  hold  him. 
He  can  make  himself  as  large  or  as  small  as  he 
pleases,  and  yesterday  he  seemed  like  a  little 
black  inkspot.  I  called  to  him,  and  he  returned 
answer  in  a  voice  as  fine  as  the  point  of  a  needle. 
Then  he  can  swell  out  like  a  toad,  with  a  voice 
indescribably  harsh.  It  is  this  mystery  of  char- 
acter which  puzzles  and  confounds  your  poor 
servant.  There  is  no  truth  in  him,  and  I  suffer 
much  in  mind  from  entertaining  such  a  guest. 
If  Don  Officioso  can  not  in  duty  or  justice  re- 
move him,  would  he  inform  me  who  he  is,  that 
I  may  be  stimulated  to  greater  endeavors  1 
"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  GOODMAN, 
"  Keeper  of  the  Hartz  Prison." 

To  this  letter,  so  respectful,  no  answer  was 
returned,  and  Goodman  set  it  down  to  the  over- 
grown, overfed  arrogance  of  superiors.  He 
wight  have  written  letters  from  morning  till 


THE  DRAGON.  21 

nigiit  to  Don  Officioso,  who  had  other  business 
than  to  answer  letters  which  he  never  read,  ex- 
cept to  pick  out  a  word  here  and  there  to  sub- 
serve his  wicked  purposes.  His  time  was  em- 
ployed in  galloping  about  the  country  on  sonic 
business  or  other  which  he  had  made  his  own, 
now  halting  at  a  cottage,  and  bringing  the  wife 
from  the  field  to  get  milk  for  him,  now  putting 
a  castle  in  excitement,  from  the  master  of  the 
house  down  to  the  lowest  scullion  in  the  kitchen. 
As  the  jailer  began  to  be  very  unhappy,  and 
serious  differences  arose  betwixt  him  and  his 
wife,  he  reflected  that  he  had  not  yet  taken  ad- 
vice of  the  Lord  of  Conscienza.  He  immedi- 
ately did  so,  and  a  correspondence  ensued  some- 
what as  follows : 

"  SIR  :  A  strange  knight  lately  presented 
himself  at  the  castle,  professing  to  be  sent  by 
your  lordship,  bringing  an  uncouth  and  unruly 
prisoner,  to  wit,  a  black  or  rather  greenish  mon- 
ster of  a  dwarf,  named  Salander.  It  has  occur- 
red to  me,  for  the  first  time,  to  inquire  whether 
your  lordship  really  sent  him ;  secondly,  what 
sort  of  a  character  he  is ;  thirdly,  if  my  lord 
will  not  think  me  very  impertinent  in  asking  so 


22  SALANDER    AND 

many  questions,  what  measures  I  shall  take  to 
secure  him,  as  the  castle  is  in  need  of  extra 
bolts." 

To  these  most  earnest  queries,  a  prompt,  de- 
cisive answer  was  returned,  and  almost  as  quick- 
ly as  voice  is  answered  by  echo,  a  loud  knocking 
\v;is  heard  at  the  bars  of  the  Hartz  Prison.  The 
jailer  took  the  letter  with  a  trembling  hand, 
and  read : 

"  GOODMAN  :  You  should  have  asked  the 
credentials  of  the  messenger  before  you  received 
the  prisoner.  I  never  sent  him,  and  would  be 
the  last  to  meddle  with  so  dirty  a  thing.  Do 
you  know  whom  you  have  to  take  care  of? 
That  Don  Officioso  is  a  braggart  and  an  impos- 
tor ;  and  if  you  had  not  been  so  great  a  simple- 
ton, and  so  ignorant  of  what  is  going  on  in  the 
world,  you  might  have  heard  something  about 
him.  He  has  brought  ruin  on  a  great  many 
families  and  individuals.  He  is  an  illegitimate 
son,  usually  going  by  the  name  of  the  Duke 
d'Envy ;  and,  marrying  at  an  early  age  a  wo- 
man of  bad  disposition,  named  Gosippa^  he  had  a 
large  family  of  children,  all  monsters,  who  were 


THE    DRAGON.  23 

no  sooner  born  than  the  parents  were  ashamed 
of  them,  and  tried  to  palm  them  off  upon  stran- 
gers. The  little  imp  whom  you  have  is  named 
Salander,  the  most  noted  of  the  progeny,  and 
has  thrown  the  whole  province  of  Gudneiburud, 
with  which  I  am  acquainted,  into  confusion. 
Goodman,  what  have  you  done?  That  is  one 
question.  But  a  more  important  one  is,  what 
are  you  to  do?  You  deserve  severe  reprehen- 
sion for  receiving  the  wretch  without  coming  to 
me.  But  as  you  did  it  in  simplicity,  and,  no 
doubt,  admitted  him  into  Earlan  without  reflect- 
ing, I  will  inform  jqu  what  course  of  conduct  is 
to  be  pursued.  Keep  him  as  if  you  held  the 
crown  jewels.  Watch  him  night  and  day,  and 
don't  stimulate  him  with  food.  If  you  are  de- 
prived of  rest  and  disturbed  in  your  family, 
that  is  your  business  and  not  mine,  for  oh,  it 
was  a  great  mistake  in  opening  the  door  of  Ear- 
lan. If  he  gets  out,  no  words  can  express  the 
punishment  which  will  ensue.  Let  no  eye  be- 
hold him.  Shut  him  up  in  darkness.  Other- 
wise, they  will  say  that  he  is  your  child ;  and 
think — think — think — what  a  reproach  upon 
that  sweet  and  excellent  woman — " 


24  SALANDER    AND 

"  What's  that?"  shouted  the  wife,  who,  hav- 
ing heard  that  he  had  a  letter,  came  running  in, 
just  in  time  to  hear  the  last  words. 

Goodman  stopped  reading,  folded  up  the  let- 
ter carefully,  and  put  it  in  his  breast. 

"  All  the  milk  may  turn  sour  in  the  dairy 
before  I  churn,"  said  she,  and  went  to  bed  with 
a  violent,  sick  headache. 

When  she  was  gone,  Goodman  soliloquized 
thus :  "  A  very  pretty  hobble  have  I  got  into  by 
my  own  folly,  and  must  suffer  for  it,  no  doubt. 
My  wife  perpetually  in  tears,  my  lord  offended, 
my  rest  broken,  all  my  time  taken  up  in  attending 
to  a  bastard  whom  I  despise.  I  find  that  I  can 
trust  my  own  judgment  for  nothing.  Hereafter 
I  must  go  to  the  Lord  of  Conscienza  for  every 
thing  I  do,  or  else  I  shall  be  sure  to  go  wrong." 

Goodman  walked  up  and  down,  almost  dis- 
tracted, till,  suddenly  hearing  the  smothered 
cries  of  the  little  monster  in  the  cell,  he  came 
to  a  desperate  resolve.  He  would  get  rid  of 
the  nuisance  at  all  hazards.  He  would  not  let 
him  bawl  any  more,  but,  without  saying  a  word 
to  any  one,  he  would  quietly  throttle  him,  and 
loss  him  over  the  battlements  into  the  morass, 
ere  the  mud  and  waters  would  close  over  him. 


THE    DRAGON.  25 

He  would  not  attempt  to  conceal  Salander  in  a 
shroud  and  coffin,  saying  to  the  seamstress  and 
carpenter,  "  Don't  tell,  don't  tell ;"  but  he 
would  just  squeeze  his  little  neck  without  cere- 
mony, and  lay  him  out,  and  preach  the  sermon, 
and  bear  the  pall,  and  handle  the  shovel,  and 
stand  chief  mourner,  and  write  the  epitaph — 

"  THE     LEAST     SAID,    THE     SOONEST     MENDED." 

That  was  the  way  to  do  it.  So  he  marched 
straight  up,  with  the  step  of  a  grenadier,  into 
his  wife's  chamber,  where  he  found  the  worthy 
woman,  her  head  buried  in  the  pillows. 

"  My  dear,"  said  he,  rummaging  in  the  draw- 
ers, "  where  is  that  long  leash  that  we  hung 
Vengeful  with  *?"  No  answer  was  returned ;  so 
he  hunted  the  string  until  he  found  it. 

He  now  went  to  the  door  of  the  cell,  and 
looked  in.  Salander  was  asleep.  So  for  the 
first  time  he  entered  in,  sat  down,  put  him  on 
his  lap,  and  looked  into  his  face.  He  never 
felt  more  strangely.  The  creature  looked 
uglier  than  ever,  now  that  his  powers  were 
steeped  in  oblivion.  He  pressed  open  his  lids, 
and  his  eyeballs  were  green,  green,  green  as 
grass,  and  the  whites  were  suffused  with  a  saf- 
fron hue.  "  He  has  got  the  jaundice,"  said  he, 
2 


26  SALANDER    AND 

"  and  will  soon  die  a  natural  death.  Shall  I 
kill  him?" 

But  his  better  judgment  told  him  that  he 
ought  to  die.  So  he  took  the  thong,  and  made 
a  noose,  and  put  it  around  his  neck,  and  gave  it 
a  pull,  when  the  little  creature  woke  up.  He 
gave  it  another  pull,  when  the  vivacious  boy, 
his  eyeballs, almost  starting  out  of  his  head,  and 
apprehending  what  was  going  on,  thrust  his  fist 
under  the  thong,  his  eyes  welling  over  with 
tears. 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  Goodman,  don't  kill  me.  I 
did  not  beget  myself,  and  was  brought  into  the 
world  without  any  consent  of  mine." 

Now,  when  Goodman  saw  the  tears  in  Salan- 
der's  eyes,  as  if  he  lamented  his  own  existence, 
he  loosened  the  cord,  and  took  a  sudden  affection 
for  him.  His  unique  ugliness  had  the  effect  of 
a  peculiar  beauty,  and  he  could  not  find  in 
his  heart  to  kill  him,  but  promised,  upon  his 
word  and  honor,  that  if  he  would  keep  content- 
ed in  his  cell,  and  not  cry  and  scream  as  he  did, 
that  he  would  treat  him  with  kindness.  Salan- 
der  promised  that,  hard  as  his  position  was,  he 
would  seek  to  go  no  further,  but  take  whatever 
food  was  given  to  him,  and  rest  content.  So 


THE    DRAGON.  27 

Goodman  looked  down  upon  his  ugly  face,  wiped 
his  tears,  almost  kissed  him,  and  putting  him 
down  in  one  corner  of  the  cell,  went  out  and  at- 
tended to  the  other  prisoners.  As  he  departed, 
the  little  monster  grinned  from  ear  to  ear,  and 
made  a  very  significant  gesture,  which  those  who 
have  seen  will  understand. 

That  night  Goodman  lay  down  with  every 
prospect  of  sleeping  very  sweetly.  All  was 
still  in  the  castle,  for  Salander,  sooner  than  be 
put  out  of  the  world,  chose  to  stop  screaming 
and  making  a  noise  for  a  time.  The  jailer  put 
his  nightcap  on  the  pillow,  and  already  snored, 
when  he  was  waked  up  hy  a  sensation  of  great 
heat  directly  under  his  nose.  It  was  his  wife, 
Pryintf  brandishing  a  red-hot  poker. 

"  Dear,"  said  she,  wiping  the  hair  upon  his 
crown,  which  suddenly  blazed  up  like  a  volcano. 

"  Don't,  don't !"  shrieked  the  poor  jailer,  re- 
treating to  the  other  side  of  the  bed. 

"  Dear,  as  I  was  saying,  dear  husband"— here 
she  singed  his  whiskers. 

"  Amicable  relations  surely  should" — here 
she  fried  the  tip  end  of  his  nose,  upon  which  he 
yelled  aloud,  and,  under  tte  inspiration  of  the 
poker,  began  to  hop,  skip,  and  jump  about  the 


28  SALANDER    AND 

room.  It  was  not  a  very  graceful  minuet,  to 
say  the  least.  It  was  while  standing  breathless 
in  a  corner  of  the  room,  with  the  point  of  the 
hot  poker  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  (scant 
measure)  from  his  nose,  that  the  following  train 
of  reasoning  passed  through  his  mind  : 

"  It  is  a  very  poor  policy,  after  all,  to  fall  out 
with  one's  wife.  It  is  better  to  sacrifice  a  little 
pride  than  a  great  deal  of  comfort.  Affection, 
to  say  the  least,  should  prompt  a  man  to  yield  a 
little  to  the  weaker  vessel.  It  is  a  great  wonder 
that  these  things  never  occurred  to  me  before." 

The  poker  was  lowered  when  he  had  cried 
"  quarter ;"  and  after  a  little  bickering  and 
delay,  the  following  articles  of  agreement  were 
drawn  up  and  ratified  between  the  parties : 

I.  That  Mrs.  Pryint  Goodman  should  see  the 
little  mobster. 

II.  That  she  should  assist  Mr.  Goodman  to 
take  care  of  him. 

III.  That  she  should  not  let  him  out  of  pris- 
on, or  admit  a  stranger  to  the  secret. 

These  preliminaries  being  over,  Goodman  said, 
"  Kiss  me,  my  love." 

"  Put  on  your  clothes,"  said  she,  "  and  let  us 
gc  s,t  once  to  see  the  prisoner." 


THE    DRAGON.  29 

"  Not  now,  darling.  To-morrow  morning  will 
be  as  well." 

"  At  once,"  said  she,  feeling  the  end  of  the 
poker,  which  remained  hot. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  perhaps  the  darkness  of 
the  night  will  promote  secrecy.  Pryint,  upon 
your  word  and  honor,  if  I  show  you  Salander, 
you  will  never  tell  any  body  that  you  have  seen 
him,  nor  give  any  description  of  his  person?" 

She  replied,  singing  in  the  words  of  an  ancient 
distich : 

"  I  never  •will,  I  never  will, 
Upon  my  word  and  honor." 

"Then,"  said  he,  "follow  me;  but  you  will 
repent  of  this  before  long,  take  my  word  for  it, 
Pryint.  You  will  have  to  share  with  me  the 
labor  of  guarding  him,  besides  being  sorry  that 
your  eyes  have  ever  seen  him ;  for  I  tell  you 
beforehand  that  he  is  an  unpleasant  object  to 
look  on,  and,  in  some  cases,  the  very  sight  would 
be  dangerous." 

With  this  caution,  which  had  no  effect  upon 
the  worthy  woman,  he  led  the  way  to  the  deep, 
dark  cell,  where  the  dwarf  was  confined.  It 
was  the  solemn  midnight  hour,  when  a  great 
many  fantastic  things  were  wont  to  be  seen 


30  SALANDER  AND 

around  the  Hartz  Prison,  and  strange  lights 
sometimes  flitted  in  the  upper  chambers,  and  the 
sheeted  ghosts  of  the  past  glided  through  them 
in  a  melancholy  train,  and  you  heard  the  sounds 
of  thrilling  symphonies,  or  a  wail  melancholy  as 
the  March  winds,  and  gorgeous  pictures  were 
hung  out  upon  the  walls ;  but  all  this  vanished 
with  the  cock-crowing  at  early  dawn.  If  these 
things  could  have  been  seen  by  others,  it  Avould 
have  been  said  that  the  castle  was  haunted,  but 
the  great  draw-bridge  was  drawn  which  sepa- 
rated it  from  the  outer  world,  and  Goodman  and 
his  wife  said  nothing  about  them,  and  in  fact 
forgot  them  in  the  business  of  the  day.  And 
now,  when  you  could  hear  the  pulsation  of 
every  little  wave,  and  the  gurgling  of  the  great 
Aorta,  and  all  the  streams  which  supplied  the 
moat  within  the  walls  of  clay,  and  the  measured 
beating  of  the  great  clock,  Pryint  took  from  her 
husband  the  little  key  of  the  particular  cell,  and, 
with  a  dark  lantern,  they  both  crept  stealthily, 
looking  around  to  see  if  any  one  were  abroad. 

"  Hark !"  said  the  man. 

"  It  is  nothing  but  an  owl,"  said  the  woman. 

"  I  thought  that  I  heard  a  mysterious  knock- 
ing," replied  he. 


THE  DRAGON.  31 

"  No  such  tiling,"  said  she  ;  but  hardly  were 
the  words  out  of  her  mouth  when  an  unmistak- 
able knocking  was  heard — a  sort  of  muffled 
knocking,  which  appeared  to  be  at  the  outer 
gate. 

u  I'll  go,"  said  she  ;  "  stay  where  you  are." 
So,  being  a  woman  of  nerve,  she  sallied  forth, 
and  going  where  the  sound  came  from,  "  Who's 
there,"  said  she,  u  knocking  the  house  down, 
and  disturbing  honest  people  at  this  hour  of  the 
night  ?" 

"  Does  the  Lord  of  Conscienza  reside  here  '?" 
was  the  inquiry. 

"  No,  he  does  not,"  replied  she ;  "  how  did 
you  get  over  the  bridge  ?" 

"  I  will  call  again,"  was  the  answer. 

Pryint  saw  nobody,  and  heard  nothing  but 
the  rushing  of  a  pair  of  wings,  on  which  it  would 
appear  that  the  mysterious  messenger  vanished. 
She  returned  to  her  husband. 

"  What  was  it  ?"  said  he. 

"  A  large  night-hawk,  flapping  its  wings  on 
the  gate." 

"  Wife,"  said  he,  "  you  are  a  clever  woman, 
for  I  should  never  have  had  the  courage  to  an- 
swer to  that  knock,  lest  peradventure  the  Lord 


32  SALANDER    AND 

of   Conscienza  had   come  to  bring  me  to  ac- 
count." 

Goodman  now  took  his  wife  down  to  the  deep- 
est cell  of  the  Hartz  Prison,  where  he  paused 
awhile,  and  much  he  hesitated,  with  his  hand 
upon  the  lock. 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  I  do  deeply  regret  to  make 
this  monster  known,  even  to  the  wife  of  my  bo- 
som. Far  rather  would  I  have  kept  him  in 
darkness  and  oblivion,  for  something  tells  me 
that  evil  will  ensue.  But,"  said  he,  putting  his 
hand  on  the  crown  of  his  head,  and  bringing 
down  a  shower  of  ashes  into  his  eyes,  "  since 
you  will  it,  draw  near,  Pryint.  Hush  !  he  is 
asleep  !  Fix  your  eyes  steadily  on  yon  corner, 
while  I  make  a  ray  from  the  dark  lantern  fall 
upon  him." 

Pryint  put  her  forefinger  on  her  right  eye, 
closing  it  up,  and  placing  the  other  eye  down 
close  and  screwing  it  up  to  the  proper  focus,  she 
cast  a  look  of  curiosity  around  the  whole  cham- 
ber. Then  turning  round  to  Goodman,  with  a 
blank  expression,  "  Why,"  said  she,  "  there's 
nothing  here !" 

'  Ah,"  said  he,  "  that's  the  nature  of  the 
beast.    Look  again.    He  is  nothing  at  this  pros- 


THE  DRAGON.  33 

ent,  but  before  you  are  done  with  him,  dearest, 
he  may  make  liimself  as  big  as  a  mountain." 

Pryirit  put  her  eye  down  again.  "  Ha  !"  said 
she,  squinting  curiously,  and  her  mouth  widened 
into  a  cunning  smile ;  "I  see  him !"  She  did 
not  speak  another  word  for  five  minutes,  but 
spent  the  whole  time  in  gazing.  First,  her 
mouth  gradually  opened ;  then  her  eyeballs 
bagan  to  expand,  for  they  encountered  the  green 
eyes  of  Salander.  He  was  not  asleep,  or  had 
woke  up.  They  were  both  engaged  in  a  contest 
to  fascinate  each  other,  when  he  suddenly  drew 
in  his  breath,  and  shot  out  his  tongue  with  a 
peculiar  hissing  noise,  causing  her  to  start  back. 
"  My  eyes  !"  said  she,  continuing  to  gaze,  and 
almost  swallowing  him  up  with  curiosity.  "  1 
never  would  have  believed  that  such  a  thing 
could  exist,  and  now  I  hardly  know  whether  to 
credit  what  I  see,  or  not.  Oh,  how  ugly  he  is  ! 
What  an  immense  mouth !  What  outstretched 
ears  !  I  believe  he  has  no  legs — " 

"  Ah  !  there  you  greatly  mistake,"  replied 
the  jailer ;  "  they  are  drawn  up,  but  he  is  the 
best  runner  in  the  country ;  if  he  were  only  out 
of  prison  he  would  go  too  fast  and  too  far." 

"  I  am  determined  to  know  his  whole  history, 
2* 


34  SALANDER    AND 

and  from  his  own  lips,"  said  she ;  "  it  must  be 
very  interesting." 

With  this  she  closed  the  slide.  The  worthy 
couple  retired  to  rest,  and  Goodman  dreamed 
the  whole  night  of  a  hot  poker. 

The  next  morning,  as  they  partook  of  their 
frugal  breakfast,  the  wife  set  apart  a  portion  of 
the  meal.  "  This,"  said  she,  "  is  for  Salander, 
and  1  mean  to  carry  it  myself,  for  why  should  we 
starve  the  poor  child  to  death.  We  have  him 
under  our  roof,  and  he  is  a  prisoner.  We  ought 
to  feel  for  his  condition.  I  pity  his  ugliness, 
but  that  shall  make  no  difference  in  my  con- 
duct ;  I  will  be  a  mother  to  him." 

Goodman  laughed. 

"  It  is  well,"  he  said ;  "  I  commit  him  to  your 
charge,  and  shall  give  myself  no  farther  trouble 
about  him ;  but  you  must  be  very  judicious  in 
your  treatment  of  him,  and  don't  let  him  go  the 
length  of  your  apron  strings,  or  tamper  with 
him  in  any  way,  for  if  you  do — " 

"  Leave  that  to  me,"  said  she,  wiping  her 
own  mouth,  and  retreating  with  a  nice  piece  of 
buttered  toast,  with  which  she  went  into  the  cell. 

"  I've  brought  you  some  breakfast,"  said  she, 
with  a  patronizing  air. 


THE    DRAGON.  35 

"  Put  it  in  here,"  said  he,  opening  his  mouth 
into  a  big  circle.  Down  went  a  bit  of  crust, 
and  he  said  it  was  good. 

"  Want  s'  more,"  said  he,  and  she  began  to 
feed  him  like  a  dog. 

"  Don't  smack  so,"  said  she  ;  "  I  hate  smack- 
ing." 

"  Ugh  !  ugh  !" 

He  ate  all  she  brought  him,  licked  the  platter, 
and  looking  up,  with  eyes  as  big  as  a  saucer, 
exclaimed,  "  Want  s'  more." 

"  You've  a  good  appetite,"  said  she. 

"  Ugh  !  ugh  !" 

Pryint  laughed,  and  went  and  brought  him  a 
large  plate  of  mashed  potatoes,  and  after  gob- 
bling it  down,  he  rolled  over  and  went  to  sleep, 
without  ever  saying  "  I'm  much  obliged." 

She  thought  he  had  a  most  voracious  appe- 
tite. However,  prisoners  have  nothing  to  think 
of  except  what  they  shall  eat.  If  the  \vhole 
scenery  of  a  theater  is  limited  to  the  walls  of  a 
gloomy  cell,  and  the  only  entree  is  a  hand  with 
a  platter,  is  it  any  wonder  that  the  poor  heart- 
broken spectator  should  be  on  the  alert  when 
the  platter  arrives  1  0  how  little  knowledge  of 
nature  men  have  !  This  argues  gluttony,  it  is 


36  SALANLEK    AND 

true ;  but  it  is  no  greater  gluttony  than  nine 
out  of  every  ten  have.  It  is  only  the  tenth 
whose  prospects  lie  beyond  the  prison  itself. 
.  Would  it  be  believed  that  the  jailer's  wife 
began  soon  to  feel  an  affection  for  the  monster. 
Good  offices  make  the  gifted  dear  to  the  giver, 
more  than  the  reverse.  "  Why,"  says  she  to 
her  husband,  "  I've  got  his  whole  history  out  of 
him.  After  he  was  born,  because  he  was  ugly, 
his  parents  hated  him.  Gosippa  said  he  looked 
like  D'Envy,  and  D'Envy  said  he  resembled 
Gosippa.  A  quarrel  ensued,  in  which  D'Envy 
snatched  up  the  child  in  a  rage,  and  left  him  at 
our  door." 

"  Ah ! "  said  he,  pressing  his  two  fists 
against  his  two  sides,  "  ha  !  ha !  ha !" 

While  he  was  laughing,  Pryint  went  to  the 
pantry,  and  in  her  excess  of  tenderness,  skimmed 
off  the  cream  from  half  a  dozen  pans,  and  made 
Salander  a  whip-syllabub.  She  went  in  and 
presented  it  to  him ;  but  he  tasted  it  and  did 
not  like  it. 

"  Look  here,"  said  he,  "  grandmama,  can't 
you  put  a  little  spirits  in  this?"  and  he  winked 
his  eye  so  cunningly  that  she  could  not  but 
laugh. 


THE    DRAGON.  37 

"  Don't  call  me  grandmama,"  said  she,  al- 
most convulsed  with  laughter,  and  giving  him  a 
box  on  the  ear,  which  sent  him  to  the  other  side 
of  the  cell. 

"  I  won't  call  you  grandmama,"  said  he, 
jumping  up  into  her  lap,  and  hugging  her 
around  the  neck  till  the  blood  flew  into  her 
cheeks  ;  "  but  tell  me,  aunty,  what  have  you 
got  in  those  phials  with  gilt  stoppers  ?" 

"  Rank  poison,"  said  she. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  replied.  "  Go  and  bring 
it." 

"  Don't  ask  it,  Salander.  It  is  not  good  for 
you." 

"  Not  for  your  poor  little  prisoner,  shut  up 
in  darkness  ?"  said  he,  and  two  large  tears  roll- 
ed out  of  his  eyes.  "  I  am  ill  for  want  of  air 
and  exercise.  Indeed  I  am,  kind  lady." 
•  She  could  not  resist  this,  so  she  went  and 
brought  the  phials. 

"  What's  this  ?"  said  he,  uncorking  and  smell- 
ing. "  It's  a  volatile  essence,"  and  by  the  few 
rays  of  light  which  struggled  into  the  cell,  he 
read,  Brethuf  Smpishun.  '• 

"  Queer  name !  Well,"  he  said,  taking  a 
smell,  "  that  does  me  good.  What's  this  ?  A 


38  SALANDER    AND 

liquor !  Malign— well,  well,  that's  good !  Take 
a  little." 

"  I  don't  like  it,"  said  she. 

"  Yes,  you  do !"  and  with  that  he  snatched 
her  thimble  from  her  finger,  poured  it  full,  and 
tilted  it  into  her  lips,  till  she  nearly  choked.  It 
went  right  up  to  her  brain. 

"  Let's  waltz,"  said  he,  seizing  her  round  the 
waist. 

"Oh,  Saldi'.  Saldi!  don't,  don't!  I  can't 
waltz !" 

"  I  can,"  said  he ;  and  with  that  he  whirled 
her  round  till  she  dropped.  Then  he  began  to 
feel  in  her  pocket  for  the  key  of  the  cell,  and, 
having  found  it,  he  was  just  fumbling  at  the 
lock  when  Goodman  arrived.  The  man  was  in 
a  rage.  He  snapped  Pryint  by  the  arm,  led 
her  out,  and  locked  the  doer. 

"  Wife,"  said  he,  "  you've  been  drinking  too 
much.  Go  to  bed  !"  From  that  moment  Good- 
man was  jealous.  He  thought  that  he  saw  the 
consequence  of  such  unfortunate  familiarity  very 
soon,  for  his  wife's  temper  became  more  and 
more  crabbed  as  she  dallied  with  Salander,  and 
took  a  positive 'delight  in  his  company.  And 
as  this  unnatural  liking  increased  by  degrees, 


THE    DRAGON.  39 

her  mind  became  so  distorted  that  she  lost  the 
good  opinion  which  she  entertained  for  others. 
For  he  himself  was  a  perfect  misanthrope,  and 
cursed  his  own  parents  because  they  had  not 
strangled  him  in  the  cradle,  being  born  so  ugly 
that  looking-glasses  were  unsafe  in  his  company. 
They  threw  him  into  convulsions.  Pryint's  tem- 
per became  as  bad  as  his,  so  that  one  day,  in 
self-defense,  Goodman  made  a  funeral  of  the 
poker,  and  buried  it  in  the  sand. 

"  Since  you  are  cold,"  said  he,  putting  his 
hand  upon  it,  "  lie  there,  and  I  hope  you  will  be 
never  raised,  at  least  above  my  head." 

He  noticed  that  his  wife,  who  was  once  ex- 
cessively attached  to  the  Hartz  Castle,  and  was 
never  happy  any  where  else,  now  often  went  to 
visit  the  neighbors,  and  he  conjectured  that  it 
was  on  some  matters  connected  with  Salander. 
The  peace  of  his  family  was  threatened  to  be 
destroyed.  Do  you  want  to  know  what  business 
she  was  about  on  these  visits?  We  will  tell 
you.  Not  far  from  Hartz  there  was  an  an- 
cient place,  called  Fussom  House.  It  was  so 
situated  that  if  there  was  any  breeze  stirring 
it  was  sure  to  get  it.  Some  persons  would  have 
thought  it  out  of  the  world,  and  it  was,  in  fact, 


40  SALANDER    AND 

removed  from  vulgar  gaze ;  but  then  the  inmates 
employed  a  great  many  servants  and  couriers, 
who  were  kept  running  to  inform  them  of  Avhat 
was  going  on  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation,  such 
as  Neuspiper',  Stimbote,  Telgraff,  and  others, 
whose  names  I  can  not  recall.  Snapit  was  the 
name  of  the  family  who  kept  the  lodge,  and 
thither  Pryint,  on  the  invitation  of  Mrs.  Snapit, 
was  lati-ly  in  the  habit  of  running  upon  social 
visits  to  drink  a  decoction  of  a  very  pleasant 
herb,  called  Tee.  On  these  occasions  she  was 
taken  into  the  garden,  and  also  to  investigate 
every  portion  of  the  house  of  Fussom,  except 
the  apartments  occupied  by  the  family.  In  re- 
turn for  these  civilities  Mrs.  Snapit  manifested 
a.  desire  to  make  a  visit  to  Hartz  Castle,  which, 
she  understood,  was  a  very  curious  place,  abound- 
ing in  secret  chambers,  and  with  many  thing? 
about  it  wonderfully  made.  Above  all  things, 
she  would  like  to  see  the  dungeons,  in  which  she 
was  informed  that  never  a  ray  of  light  entered, 
and  those  who  were  confined  never  came  forth 
again  to  the  day.  Mrs.  Goodman  informed  her 
that  the  place  was  held  by  them  under  strict 
supervision  of  the  Lord  of  Conscienza,  without 
.whose  consent  they  were  afraid  to  do  any  thing, 


THE    DRAGON.  41 

for  he  was  perpetually  sending  for  papers,  and 
reports,  and  accounts  current,  and  Goodman 
was  on  pins  and  needles  the  whole  time,  lest  he 
should  affront  his  master.  Nevertheless,  she 
would  ask  her  lord  whether  she  might  be  ad- 
mitted. 

Mrs.  Snap  it  tossed  up  her  head. 

"  You  need  do  no  such  thing,  Goodman,  for  I 
know  all  about  him,  and  am  very  thankful  that 
we  are  not  under  his  control.  Fussom  has  had 
nothing  to  do  with  him  for  ten  years,  although 
they  used  to  be  on  good  terms.  I  beg  you  will 
think  no  more  about  it,  Goodman." 

"  But,"  said  she,  "  I  will.  I  wish  you  to  see 
the  place  very  much,  and  can  assure  you  that  I 
feel  the  restrictions,  and,  in  fact,  I  am  itching 
to  break  through  the  rules.  I  could  show  you 
something,  Snapit,  which  would  make  you  open 
your  eyes  wide." 

"  Ah  !"  said  she,  "  what's  that  ?" 

"  Something  which,  if  it  were  known  in  this 
part  of  the  world,  would  make  a  great  talk,  but 
at  present  the  knowledge  is  confined  to  the  pris- 
on. Goodman  and  I  are  very  strict  about  it ; 
indeed,  so  much  on  the  guard  that  I  think  it  in- 
jures our  health." 


42  SALANDER    AND 

"I  thought  that  something  was  preying  on 
your  mind,  Goodman,  and  have  thought  so  for 
some  time  past,  but  delicacy  prevented  me  from 
speaking  of  it." 

"  It  is  true  that  I  am  overburdened,  and  feel 
the  need  of  a  friend  ;  but  to  show  you  this  ob- 
ject I  can  not,  for  I  am  pledged  to  my  husband, 
And  my  husbond  is  pledged  to  Conscienza." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  wish  to  see  it,  Goodman.  That 
is  not  at  all  necessary.  I  would  not  have  you 
break  your  word  with  any  one,  not  even  with 
such  a  person  as  Lord  Conscienza  ;  but  as  you 
have  hinted  about  it,  could  you  not  give  me  a 
little  description  1  You  know  what  sort  of  a 
person  I  am." 

"  Of  course  ;  there  will  be  no  harm  in  telling 
you  thus  much,  but  you  must  let  it  go  no  far- 
ther, Snapit.  You  must  know  w'e've  got  a  new 
comer  at  the  castle,  of  the  most  eccentric  char- 
.acter." 

Mrs.  Snapit  pricked  up  her  ears. 

"  Yes — a  prisoner." 

"  La,  me !  what  a  wicked  world  it  is  !  What 
has  he  done?-'5 

"  That  I  don't  know,  but  I  suppose  that  he 
has  been  injurious.  We  only  know  that  his 


THE    DRAGON.  43 

propensities  are  bad,  and  that  he  must  not  be 
let  loose,  nor  exposed  to  view." 

"  What's  his  name  ?" 

"  Salander — the  ugliest  little  beast  the  eyes 
ever  looked  on.  Hold  your  ear  this  way,  Snap- 
it — for  mercy's  sake,  keep  entirely  dark — he  is 
a  monster." 

Mrs.  Snapit  drew  back  and  opened  her 
mouth  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  0,  while  her 
eyes  nearly  bulged  out  of  her  head. 

"  You  perfectly  astonish  me,  Goodman." 

"  Yes,  he's  black — I  may  say  green.  We  did 
not  want  to  take  him  ;  he  came  upon  us  by  ac- 
cident, and  we  keep  him  upon  compulsion.  He 
is  very  troublesome,  and  sometimes  takes  all  of 
Goodman's  strength  and  mine  to  hold  him,  and 
eats  more  than  he  is  worth.  If  he  should  get 
away — but  we  mean  to  look  out  for  that.  I 
don't  know  but  I  have  done  very  wrong  in  telling 
you  even  thus  much,  but  you  won't  betray  me, 
Snapit  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  of  course.  I'd  give  my  eyes  to  see 
him,  you  have  excited  my  curiosity  so  much ; 
you  know  all  is  honorable  between  friends." 

"  Don't  tempt  me,  Snappy.  You'd  wish  you 
had  never  seen  him,  indeed  you  would." 


44  SALANDER   AND 

"  Oh,  I  don't  believe  lie's  so  ugly  as  Mrs. 
Fussom's  little  boy,  whom  they  do  say  that  they 
gave  corrosive  sublimate  to,  although  I  don't 
believe  one  word  of  it — it's  a  most  cruel  re- 
port—" 

"  La,  me  !  I  never  heard  it." 

"  You  hav'nt  1  I  thought  every  body  had 
heard  it.  For  goodness  sake,  don't  tell  it. 
They  called  him  Mr.  Blab,  and  he  killed  three 
nurses.  What  did  you  say  was  the  name  of 
your  little  monster'?" 

"  Salander." 

Here  the  friends  parted,  Pryint  to  go  back  to 
the  castle,  and  Snapit  to  visit  the  gardener's 
wife  at  the  next  neighbor's. 

And  the  gardener's  wife  went  to  see  Mrs. 
Tattleby. 

And  Mrs.  Tattleby  went  to  see  Mrs.  Wat- 
ovit.'  •**  ' 

I  mention  this  to  show  that  it  was,  before  the 
arrival  of  Salander,  a  very  social  neighborhood. 
Oh,  the  grass  never  grew  on  the  footpaths,  and 
the  roads  were  dusty  all  the  time.  They  met 
with  smiles  and  the  shaking  of  hands,  and  they 
parted  with  repartees  and  laughter.  In  the 
winter  time,  the  "deep  winter  time,  about  the 


THE    PRAGON.  45 

advent  of  our  dear  Lord,  the  tokens  of  kindness 
and  good  fellowship  were  exchanged  freely,  and 
hand  grasped  hand,  and  heart  responded  to 
heart,  while  the  fires  blazed  on  every  hearth, 
and  music  was  heard  in  every  dwelling. 

When  Pryint  went  home  she  gave  the  dwarf 
his  supper.  She  had  awakened  him  out  of  a 
sound  sleep,  and  he  was  very  cross. 

"  I  was  dreaming  of  green  gooseberries," 
said  he ;  "  I  don't  Avant  your  bonny  clabber," 
and  he  kicked  her. 

"  Saldi,  for  shame !  take  your  supper  this 
instant  minute,  and  go  to  bed." 

He  yawned  fearfully,  and  threw  his  arms  over 
his  head  ;  then  taking  the  bowl,  he  smeared  his 
mouth  with  it,  and  put  it  away,  in  infinite  dis- 
gust. "  I  don't  like  it,"  said  he. 

"  Good  night,  Saldi ;  I  hope  you'll  be  in  a 
better  humor  to-morrow  morning." 

He  said  nothing,  but  began  to  snore  aloud, 
looking  as  hideous  as  a  little  imp. 

"  My  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Goodman,  some  days 
after  this,  for  these  good  people  were  trying  to 
be  reconciled  to  each  other,  "  I  have  a  piece  of 
news  to  tell  you,  for  I  do  not  wish  to  keep  any 
thing  from  you.  Oh,  Goodman !  I  wish  that  I 


46  SALANDER    AND 

could  find  you  acting  toward  y.mr  wife  in  the 
same  manner,  but  I  regret  to  say,  Goodman, 
that  you  treat  me  more  like  a  slave  than  a  wife 
— a  plighted  wife — indeed  you  do,  Goodman. 
It  is  no  matter  ;  I  have  a  little  piece  of  news  to 
tell  you,  and  it  is  on  condition  that  you  will  let 
it  go  no  farther  ;  but  have  you  ever  heard  that 
the  Fussom's  had  a  monster  born  in  the 
family?" 

"  No,  I  never  heard  it,  and  don't  believe  it. 
You  should  not  listen  to  such  things,  Pryint." 

"  How  can  you  help  it,  when  it  is  talked 
about.  I  should  not  believe  it,  but  I  have  it 
from  one  of  the  household,  a  friend  at  the  lodge. 
Yes,  they  called  him  Mr.  Blab." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  them.  It  is  a  misfortune, 
not  a  fault.  It  might  be  worse." 

"  There  you  have  hit  the  nail  on  the  head  : 
it  is  worse." 

Goodman  said  nothing. 

"  Shut  the  door,"  said  she,  looking  around 
warily,  and  speaking  in  a  whisper ;  "  it  is  too 
horrible  to  think  of,  but  they  killed  the  child 
with  .corrosive  sublimate." 

"  Then  they  ought  to  be  hanged  as  high  as 
Haman,  and  I  would  like  to  be  the  sheriff  to  do 


THE    DRAGON.  47 

it.  But  I  don't  believe  it,  and  shan't  bother  my 
head  about  it." 

"  You  had  better  not,"  said  she,  "  except 
vou  want  to  get  yourself  into  trouble." 

There  was  a  pause  in  the  conversation. 

"  And  I  have  a  piece  of  news  to  tell  you, 
madam.  Do  you  know — do  you  know — " 

Pryint  was  out  of  breath. 

"Eh?     What1?" 

"  A  piece  of  family  news  which  concerns  us 
both." 

"  Goodness  me !" 

"  Perhaps  you  have  heard  it  ?" 

"Not  a  word.  Why  do  you  torment  me, 
Goodman  ?" 

"  I  don't  want  to  torment  you,  dearest.  Far 
be  it  from  me  to  torment  you.  Did  you  ever 
know  me  to  do  so  1  On  the  contrary,  you  have 
often  tormented  me,  in  one  way  or  another,  but 
let  by-gones  be  by-gones." 

Here  he  began  to  fumble  in  the-  ashes  to  light 
his  pipe,  and  not  succeeding,  asked  his  wife  to 
find  him  a  coal,  or  a  hot  poker. 

"  Really,  Goodman,  this  is  of  a  piece  with 
your  conduct.  You  try  to  aggravate  me." 

"Shall  I  tell  you,"   says  he,  "or   shall  I 


I 


48  SALAXDER    AND 

not  1  If  I  do  not  tell  you,  you  will  be  displeased, 
and  if  I  tell  you,  you  will  be  more  displeased. 
You  are  a  queer  woman,  Pryint." 

She  stamped  her  foot. 

"  Tease  me  no  more,"  said  she ;"  I  wish  to 
know,  good  or  bad." 

"  Very  well,  then,"  said  he.  "  For  a  day  or 
two  past,  I  have  seen  a  number  of  persons  re- 
connoitering  our  house,  and  every  person  whom 
I  have  met  has  cast  at  me  a  strange  look,  and 
some  have  smiled,  and  some  have  whispered, 
and  some  have  pointed,  and  I  could  not  for  the 
life  of  me  think  what  might  be  the  matter  now. 
At  last  my  neighbor  comes  boldly  up  to  me, 
takes  me  by  the  hand,  and  says,  '  I'm  sorry  for 
you,  but  may  you  have  strength  to  bear  your 
affliction  well.'  I  was  frightened,  and  said, 
1  You  have  the  advantage  of  me.'  '  Why,'  said 
he,  *  I  understood  your  wife  had  brought  you  a 
monster — ' ' 

Mrs.  Goodman  measured  her  length  on  the 
floor,  with  a  piercing  shriek.  At  last,  when  a 
little  recovered,  no  words  can  exj  ress  her  passion. 

"  This  comes,"  said  she,  "  from  taking  this 
person  into  your  house,  ai;d  innocent  persons 
must  suffer  by  it." 


THE    DRAGON.  49 

"  Not  so,"  replied  he ;  "  it  comes  from  tramp- 
ing about  the  country,  Pryint,  instead  of  mind- 
ing your  own  business  at  home.  Now,  although 
the  child  was  left  with  me,  I  suppose  I  shall 
have  to  father  him,  or  let  him  go." 

"You  shall  let  him  go,"  said  she;  "it  is 
downright  cruelty  to  keep  the  poor  little  fellow 
locked  up  in  the  Hartz  Prison.  He  mu&t  go 
back  to  his  parents,  and  the  Duke  d'Envy  must 
bear  the  responsibility.  This  suspicion  will  kill 
me." 

"  Then  you  should  not  have  let  the  secret 
slip." 

"  I  have 'been  true  to  my  promise,  I  can  let 
you  know,  and  will  not  bear  these  reproaches. 
I  merely  stated  in  perfect  confidence  to  Snapit 
that  we  had  a  prisoner,  and  in  general  terms 
that  he  was  ugly,  but  entered  into  no  details. 
Call  you  that  letting  the  prisoner  loose  1" 

"  No ;  you  might  better  have  shown  them 
Salander  in  the  cell,  for  then  they  might  have 
asked  him  whence  he  came,  and  what  his  ob- 
jects, and  they  would  have  seen  that  he  does 
not  resemble  us." 

"  Very  well,  then,  we  had  better  give  him  his 
freedom  at  once." 
3 


50  SALANDER  AND 

"  If  we  do  that  we  can  not  tell  what  mischief 
he  will  do  to  us." 

"  If  he  do  evil  to  us,  it  would  be  very  un- 
grateful, after  we  have  entertained  him  kindly, 
and  sent  him  rejoicing  on  his  way." 

"  No  confidence  can  be  placed  in  any  moulded 
in  his  shape.  He  may  injure  us  at  every  step. 
Now  he  would  fain  go,  presently  he  may  wish 
to  return  and  take  up  his  abode  with  us." 

"  Then,"  said  she,  "  we  are  no  worse  off  than 
we  are  now." 

"  Not  if  he  bring  others  with  him  1  But  that 
is  not  all.  Besides  this  there  will  be  a  punish- 
ment due  to  us  from  the  Lord  of  Conscienza, 
and  what  it  is  we  do  not  know,  but  have  reason 
to  suppose  that  it  will  be  dreadful." 

At  that  very  instant  a  loud  knocking  was 
heard  at  the  gate,  and  he  knew  that  his  lordship 
had  come  on  a  visit  to  the  castle,  and  trembled. 
He  asked  his  wife  if  she  did  not  hear  it,  and 
she  replied  she  did  not.  This  time  she  spoke 
the  truth,  for  she  was  becoming  deaf.  Consci- 
enza complained  that  he  had  several  times 
knocked  at  the  gate,  and  could  not  make  her 
hear.  During  this  visit  the  accounts  were 
overhauled,  and  the  jailer  received  some  re- 


THE    DRAGON.  51 

proaches,  for  he  acknowledged  that  he  had  not 
in  all  respects  done  his  duty.  On  looking  over 
the  books,  it  was  found  that  on  some  days  he 
had  failed  to  keep  a  regular  account,  trusting  to 
memory.  This  was  objected  to  as  slovenly,  and 
contrary  to  the  rules  of  business.  On  some 
pages  he  had  neglected  to  balance  the  book. 
There  were  entries  about  which  he  equivocated, 
and  could  not  give  any  satisfactory  explanation  ; 
but  when  his  lord  questioned  him  about  the  safe 
keeping  of  Salander,  on  which  the  well-being  of 
the  Hartz  territories,  and  the  whole  country 
round  about,  did  very  much  depend,  we  are  sorry 
to  say  that  Goodman  told  a  lie  about  it.  The 
fact  was,  he  was  a  coward  in  the  presence  of 
Conscienza ;  as  one  of  the  more  distinguished 
subjects  of  that  potentate  said  a  good  while  ago, 
with  a  very  serious  look,  "  He  makes  cowards 
of  us  all."  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  said 
of  him,  that  when  any  one  did  well,  his  smile  of 
approbation  was  so  sweet  and  bland  that  it  was 
worth  a  day's  journey  to  obtain  it.  By  some 
things  which  were  said  on  the  present  occasion, 
he  was  really  stung  to  the  quick,  and  every  novr 
and  then  he  shed  tears.  "  Oh,  Salander,  Salan- 
der !"  he  said,  looking  into  the  dungeon,  "  I 


52  SALANDER  AND 

wish  I  had  never  entertained  you.  I  am  afraid 
you  will  yet  bring  upon  us  a  great  deal  of  trou- 
ble. It  is  truly  painful  to  me  and  my  wife  to 
keep  you  in  prison.  We  are  afraid  we  shall 
have  to  make  the  cell  darker." 

One  day,  his  wife  finding  him  in  tears,  asked 
him  what  he  was  continually  blubbering  about, 
and  he  confessed  that  his  feelings  had  been  so 
hurt  by  the  rebuke  of  Conscienza  that  he  could 
not  get  over  it.  She  replied  that  Sconcy  (so 
she  called  him)  was  an  old  tyrant,  and  she 
would  hold  up  both  hands  for  getting  rid  of  his 
jurisdiction. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  she,  "  we  are  not  ser- 
vants, but  slaves." 

Goodman  acknowledged  that  it  was  so,  for  he 
was  somewhat  irritated;  but  "My  dear,"  he 
said,  "  you  know  it  is  a  hard  world.  The  ques- 
tion is,  if  we  relinquish  him,  whether  we  shall 
not  find  harder  masters,  and  be  greater  slaves." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  she  ;  "  but 
you  know  well  enough,  Goodman,  that  you  dare 
not  call  your  soul -your  own.  At  every  step  you 
are  held  in  bodily  fear,  and  are  like  a  galley 
slave  bound  to  a  chain.  Were  you  not  well 
thrashed  a  year  ago  for  permitting  your  heart  to 


THE  DRAGON.  53 

yearn  after  Miss  Prettiphella  1  That  you 
richly  deserved,  and  I  would  not  have  lifted  a 
finger  to  save  you,  for  it  was  an  enormous  out- 
rage, by  which  you  forfeited  all  the  respect 
which  I  owed  you,  Goodman.  But  let  that  pass. 
The  encroachments  of  Conscienza  are  more  than 
you,  as  a  man,  ought  to  submit  to.  I  tell  you 
this  as  your  true  wife,  forgiving  all  injuries 
which  you  have  done  to  me,  and  I  will  tell  you 
a  plan  which  I  have  conceived  pretty  soon  to  get 
rid  of  this  jurisdiction  for  a  time,  without  injury 
to  either,  and  with  much  benefit  to  both." 

Goodman  said  never  a  word,  but  he  ques- 
tioned in  his  own  mind  very  much  what  the  plot 
might  be.  That  very  night  she  revealed  it ;  and 
as  he  was  more  and  more  troubled  in  his  mind, 
and  kept  brooding  over  his  cuts  and  indignities, 
he  was,  in  an  evil  hour,  brought  over  to  his 
wife's  opinion,  that  to  get  a  little  temporary 
ease,  they  would  be  rid  of  these  reprimands,  and 
yet  continue  to  hold  the  castle. 

"  What  is  it,  Pryint  ?  Let  us  hear  your 
plan,  and  if  there  is  any  thing  feasible  in  it,  I 
won't  object.  I  won't  object,  for  oh,  I  can't 
get  over  the  sting  of  his  words,  and  my  peace  of 
mind  is  gone." 


54  SALANDER  AND 

"  Do  you  know  any  thing  about  music "?"  said 
she. 

"  Not  at  all." 

"  So  I  should  think,  for  I  have  never  noticed 
any  melody  in  you  since  I  knew  you.  You 
have  no  ear  at  all.  Of  course,  then,  you  can't 
dance  ?" 

"  You  know  I  can't,  Pryint ;  I  never  indulge 
in  such  follies." 

u  Nor  I  either ;  only  in  the  simple  contra- 
dances  I  can  take  step.  But  the  more  pity  for 
you." 

"  And  prythee  why,  good  woman  VJ 

"  Because  it  is  now  necessary  that  you  should 
sustain  your  part.  There  is  to  be  an  entertain- 
ment" to-morrow  night." 

"  But  we  can't  go  without  consulting  the  Lord 
of  Conscienza." 

"  Pooh,  pooh  !  say  nothing  about  it.  He  will 
never  know  it ;  it  is  in  an  out-of-the-way  place. 
Will  you  go  ?" 

"  Y-y-yes." 

"  Enough  said.  Leave  the  rest  to  me.  Now 
let  us  take  a  good  sleep,  for  we  shall  not  have 
much  to-morrow  night." 

They  went  to  bed,  but  the  jailer  could  not 


THE    DRAGON. 


55 


sleep,  or  he  slept  badly,  dreaming  that  he  saw 
his  lord  offended,  standing  by  his  bedside. 

But  let  us  follow  the  couple,  and  see  what  ad- 
venture this  new  scheme  of  his  wife's  contriving 
will  lead  to.  The  next  day,  before  sundown, 
the  little  dwarf  received  a  nice  sop  for  his  sup- 
per, some  bitters  for  his  health,  and  had  a  pros- 
pect held  out  of  liberty.  After  that,  Goodman's 
horses  were  caparisoned  and  put  before  the  best 
wagon  he  had.  Also  his  wife  arrayed  herself  in 
her  best  bonnet,  and  in  all  the  gewgaws  which 
she  possessed.  They  then,  drove  the  carriage 
over  the  bridge,  taking  a  by-road,  to  escape  the 
notice  of  the  Lord  of  Conscienza.  All  the 
country  people  who  saw  them  start  off,  wondered 
what  this  staid  couple  could  have  in  their  heads, 
for  it  was  very  unusual  to  see  them  leaving  the 
castle  at  that  hour.  For  a  long  time  Goodman 
did  not  utter  a  single  word ;  at  last  he  said, 

"  Wife,  I  don't  like  this  adventure,  and  have 
a  mind  to  turn  back." 

"  If  you  do,"  said-  she,  "  I  will  never  live 
with  you  again.  But  go  back  you  shan't  while 
I  have  a  vote,"  and  she  took  the  reins  out  of  his 
hand,  and  gave  the  horses  a  whack.  In  short, 
she  drove  them  the  rest  of  the  way.  But  per- 


56 

haps  you  would  like  to  know  something  of  the 
entertainment  to  which  they  were  going. 

A  great  baron,  named  Luvuruv  Thewold,  ori^* 
the  occasion  of  the  birth  of  an  heir,  gave  a  feast 
in  the  village  of  Drownthort*  to  all  his  vassals.**^,* 
He  killed  a  great  many  sheep  and  oxen,  and 
caused  to  be  rolled  from  his  cellars  a  great  many 
hogsheads  of  ale  and  wine.  They  had  spent 
the  whole  day  in  feasting  and  jollity,  and  they 
expected  to  dance  all  night  at  a  ball.  There 
would  have  been  no  harm  in  occasional  rejoicings 
of  this  kind,  but  Luyuruv  never  had  occupied 
his  mind  about  more  important  matters,  and  he 
encouraged  this  spirit  so  much  that  many  of  his 
attendants  were  dissipated  and  unworthy  to  be 
trusted,  robbing  their  master  of  his  old  wines, 
neglecting  duty,  and  thinking  that  the  main  bus- 
iness of  life  was  to  dance  and  sing.  Lazy  and 
irresponsible,  they  could  not  taste  the  sweetness 
of  that  recreation  which  is  purchased  by  honest 
toil,  and  which  nerves  the  arm  for  noble  endea- 
vors. Like  master  like  man.  Luvuruv  was 
not  happy,  though  he  spent  his  whole  time  in 
trying  to  be  amused.  Many  of  his  vassals  be- 
came bloated  and  died  prematurely,  and  taking 
them  as  a  body,  he  could  not  surely  depend  upon 


THE  DRAGON.  57 

them  in  case  his  dominions  were  subjected  to 
assault.  They  had  more  than  once  deserted  his 
banners,  flying  into  the  valleys  like  sheep.  It 
was  a  dishonest  thing  for  Goodman  to  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  him  or  his  servants,  for  he  was 
an  enemy  to  the  Lord  of  Conscienza. 

The  shades  of  night  had  already  fallen  when 
the  jailer's  equipage  entered  the  town  of  Drown- 
thort.  There  was  an  air  of  madness  and  hilarity 
in  the  whole  place,  for  first  of  all,  be  it  observed, 
it  was  in  position  eminently  romantic,  the  houses 
perched  up  very  high,  and,  overlooking  an  exhil- 
arating prospect,  the  air  cool  and  sparkling. 

But  on  this  occasion  Drownthort  was  "  beside 
itself."  Every  house  flashed  with  illumination; 
flags  hung  over  the  balconies  ;  fantastically 
dressed  crowds  were  in  the  streets  ;  music 
abounded.  Goodman  and  his  wife  wended  their 
way  to  the  great  hall,  where  to  the  sound  of  lilt- 
ing music,  drawn  from  skillful  players  on  the 
harp,  mixed  with  the  notes  of  flutes,  already 
were  the  young  men  and  maidens  mingling  in  the 
dance.  The  pleasant  agreement  of  the  move- 
ment and  the  melody,  the  splendor  of  so  many 
variegated  lamps,  the  gay  dresses,  which  served 
*o  set  forth  many  a  beautiful  form,  the  high  tone 


58  SALANDER    AND 

of  enjoyment,  and  intoxicating  effect  of  the 
whole  spectacle,  bewildered  Goodman,  not  ac- 
customed to  such  a  sight.  For  a  long  time  he 
stood  in  a  corner,  looking  like  a  fool,  but  as  the 
night  wore  on,  he  plucked  up  courage,  and  at 
last,  stimulated  by  some  wine,  waxed  very  bold. 
Taking  a  young  maiden  by  the  hand,  he  essayed 
to  lead  off  in  the  merry  dance,  with  a  great 
many  extravagant  grimaces,  and  he  fancied 
himself  to  be  young  again.  Pryint  caught  him 
coquetting,  and  was  astonished.  She  herself 
was  delighted  to  see  him  in  so  jovial  a  humor, 
because  it  enabled  him  to  forget  for  a  time  the 
allegiance  which  he  owed  to  Conscienza.  As  he 
showed  no  disposition  to  come  away,  and  had 
given  himself  up  to  pleasure,  in  good  season, 
and  before  the  gray  light  of  the  morning  dawned 
upon  the  revelers,  she  approached,  as  he  stood 
with  a  little  group  refecting  themselves  around 
the  rim  of  a  capacious  punch-bowl,  and  tapping 
him  on  the  shoulder  with  the  slats  of  her  ivory 
fan,  said, 

"  Come,  Mr.  Goodman,  it  is  time  to  go." 
"  Ay,  ay,"   said  he,  "  coming,  my  lady.     I 
will  order  the  carriage,"  for  he  was  very  drunk, 
and  his  wife  drew  him  by  the  arm,  as  he  was 


THE    DRAGON.  59 

helping  himself  to  a  little  of  the  raw  fluid.  Not 
being  able  to  find  his  coachman  or  his  footman, 
for  which  imaginary  characters  he  stood  bawl- 
ing in  the  court  of  the  tavern,  for  he  was  indis- 
posed or  unable  to  yoke  his  own  team,  his  wife 
took  him  by  the  nape  of  the  neck,  and  leading 
him  to  the  pump,  pumped  water  on  his  head  till 
he  was  almost  drowned. 

"  Goodman,"  said  she,  "  don't  make  a  beast 
of  yourself.  You  are  the  pest  of  my  life." 

The  water  revived  him,  and  brought  him  to 
his  legs,  and  his  first  reflection  was — "  All  this 
comes  from  my  own  folly.  Had  I  done  my  duty 
with  reference  to  an  Officioso,  then  I  should  not 
for  one  moment  have  taken  into  keeping  a  Sa- 
lander,  and  then  I  should  not  have  come  here 
to  disgrace  myself.  What  trouble  has  that  one 
act  already  brought  on  me !  and  what  will  it  yet 
bring]  Live  and  learn.  Only  let  me  get  out. 
of  this  scrape — come  along,  wife,  let's  be  going 
home." 

"  Not  yet,  my  dear,"  said  she.  "  We  came 
on  business — we  have  yet  attended  only  to  pleas- 
ure. You  have  forgotten  Conscienza,  but  no 
steps  have  been  taken  to  make  him  forget  you." 

"  Good    gracious !"    exclaimed   he,    with   a 


60  SALANDER    AND 

look  of  horror,  "  you  do  not  intend  to  commit 
murder  ?" 

"  No,  indeed,  you  old  fool — come  along."  So 
Goodman  permitted  himself  to  be  led. 

Now  there  lived  in  the  suburbs  of  the  town 
of  Drownthort  an  old  fortune-teller  and  sor- 
ceress, much  resorted  to  by  all  classes,  although 
the  latter  calling  she  exercised  secretly.  It  was 
very  strange  that  she  should  live  in  a  crazy  gar- 
ret, when  by  her  forecast  she  might  take  ad- 
vantage of  coming  events ;  but  it  is  possible 
that  she  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  simple  folks 
more  than  she  would  the  comforts  of  a  fine 
house  and  servants.  Her  name  was  Python, 
and  it  was  only  known  to  the  populace  that  she 
consulted  the  heavens  and  foretold  destinies, 
not  that  she  practiced  the  Black  Art,  or  hex 
old  dwelling  would  have  been  pulled  down  about 
her  ears.  Among  other  things  she  had  a  magic 
potion,  which  would  put  one  into  a  profound 
sleep  for  a  whole  year ;  and  if,  perchance,  the 
senses  of  a  good  man  might  be  overcome  for 
that  length  of  time,  the  wicked  might  revel  un- 
molested. Goodman  became  very  much  troubled 
in  his  mind,  and  the  image  of  his  master  seem- 
ed to  stand  before  him  and  frown,  when  he  was 


THE  DRAGON.  61 

made  aware  of  this  mad  and  perilous  scheme ; 
but  it  was  too  late  to  turn  back,  for  his  wife 
had  already  knocked  at  the  door  of  the  old  en- 
chantress. 

"  Who's  there  7"  she  said,  immediately 
thrusting  her  head  out  of  a  loop-hole  above,  and 
interrogating  in  a  harsh  scream. 

"  A  friend,",  replied  Pryint.  "  A  friend  who 
needs  counsel." 

She  disappeared,  and  returning  in  an  instant, 
as  she  opened  the  door,  said,  angrily,  "  Why  do 
you  come  when  the  very  cats  are  no  longer 
abroad?  Walk  in."  And  as  they  entered, 
they  saw  by  the  light  of  the  taper  a  hideous 
hag,  toothless,  except  that  two  fangs  protruded 
above  her  upper  lip,  as  if  to  give  her  tongue 
free  play  between  their  venomous  points.  She 
was  all  wrinkled  and  doubled  up,  and  words 
would  fail  to  convey  her  exact  image.  The  first 
thing  she  did  was  to  shut  the  door,  lock  it,  and 
put  the  key  in  her  bosom. 

"  Now,"  said  she,"  "  you  are  in  my  house, 
and  can  not  go  out  till  I  tell  you ;"  and  she 
smiled. 

The  jailer  and  his  wife  were  alarmed. 

"  This  way,"  she  said,  leading  them  up  a 


62  SALANDER    AND 

narrow  staircase,  then  through  many  a  winding 
passage,  till  she  brought  them  to  the  chamber 
where  she  kept  her  instruments  of  art.  "  What 
is  it  you  want?"  she  said;  "to  know  future 
events?" 

"  No  ;  the  potion,"  whispered  Pyrint,  look- 
ing around,  as  if  the  walls  had  ears. 

."  The  potion?"  said  she.  "  Ah  !  ha  !  that 
costs  more." 

Goodman  and  his  wife  became  more  alarmed. 

'"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Mrs.  Goodman  ;  "  the  po- 
tion, to  put  a  friend  of  ours  asleep  for  one  year, 
if — if — if —  the  expense  of  so  doing — " 

"  Stop,  dear,"  exclaimed  the  hag,  "  or  you 
will  spoil  the  draught ;  it  is  now  brewing — don't 
you  hear  it '  bubble  over  the  flame  of  that 
lamp  ?" 

"  I — I — I  say,"  said  Goodman,  seizing  the 
old  woman's  arm. 

She  drew  back  with  ferocity,  and  almost  an- 
nihilated him  by  her  glance ;  then  she  mumbled 
an  incantation,  putting  in  herbs,  plucked  under 
the  moon's  pale  light ;  then,  when  she  had 
made  the  mixture,  she  uncorked  the  phial  and 
put  it  in  and  sealed  it  up,  and  handing  it  to 
Pryint,  "  Dear,"  said  she,  "  look  at  him  when 


THE    DRAGON.  63 

you  give  this — approach  and  hold  it  to  his  nos- 
trils, and  when  it  reaches  his  brain  pour  the 
whole  of  it  down  his  throat,  and  Conscienza  will 
be  asleep." 

"  Dear  me  !"  exclaimed  the  man  and  his 
wife  in  one  breath,  "  she  knows  his  name  ;" 
and  they  were  afraid. 

"  And  what's  the  cost  of  it  ?"  said  Pryint, 
"we  are  poor  people,  very,  very,  very  poor." 

"  Very,  very,  very  poor,"  shrieked  the  hag, 
in  a  voice  approaching  a  whistle ;  "and  by  the 
Holy  Cross,  if  ye  come  here  penniless  at  this 
hour,  ye  shall  go  out  poisoned." 

"0  dear!  how  much  7"  said  Pryint,  fum- 
bling for  a  few  silver  coins  in  her  wallet. 

"  A  hundred  sizentiers,"  exclaimed  the  hag. 

"  What  is  to  become  of  us  ?"  exclaimed  both 
in  a  breath.  "  We  can't  pay  it." 

"Ay,  but  it  shall  be  paid,"  said  Python ;  "  and 
until  the  sizentiers  are  paid,  I  will  take  a  mort- 
gage upon  all  you  have  and  all  you  are  worth." 

Excessive  fear  compelled  both  Goodman  and 
his  wife  to  do  as  the  hag  told  them ;  and  they 
sat  down  in  her  apartment  and  executed  a 
mortgage  on  their  property  for  the  receipt  of 
the  potion  to  put  Conscienza  asleep  for  one 


64  SALANDER    AND 

year.  Never  did  people  feel  so  small  as  they 
did  after  their  night's  adventure,  when  in  the 
gray  of  the  morning  they  reached  home,  and 
frightened,  wearied,  mortified  they  went  to  bed 
and  sunk  into  a  sound  sleep,  from  which  they 
were  not  even  awakene  1  by  the  screams  of  Sa- 
lander  calling  for  his  breakfast. 

The  next  day  they  both  felt  very  badly,  and 
Goodman  reproached  his  wife  bitterly.  He 
stated  the  results  of  her  advice  in  a  series  of 
propositions,  thus : 

I.  They  had  left  the  castle  unprotected,  and 
incurred  the  displeasure  of  Conscienza. 

II.  They  had  disgraced  themselves  by  late 
hours  and  intemperate  gayety. 

III.  They  had  encouraged  witchcraft. 

IV.  They  had  been  swindled. 

The  amount  of  it  was,  they  were  totally  ruined. 
They  had  fled  from  one  master  and  were  in  the 
hands  of  a  sorceress,  who  at  any  moment  could 
bewitch  them,  or  administer  secret  poison.  The 
one  hundred  sizentiers  must  be  paid ;  of  that 
there  could  be  no  question. 

"  My  dear,  what  a  croaker  you  are,"  said 
his  wife ;  "  listen  to  what  I  say.  As  to  the 
sizentiers.  dear  as  the  price  is,  we  will  manage 


THE    DRAGON.  65 

to  wring  them  out  of  others.  I  will  have  them 
forthcoming." 

"  I  think  you  will,"  said  he. 

"  Then,  again,  it  is  worth  a  large  sum.  First, 
we  shall  get  rid  of  Salander.  He  must  leave 
this  place.  The  disturbance  is  too  great,  the 
health  of  the  child  suffers,  and  I  am  itching  to 
let  him  go.  Our  reputation  is  at  stake  as  long 
as  there  is  a  vague  suspicion  that  we  are  pos- 
sessed of  a  strange  being,  people  don't  know 
what,  and  they  will  think  he  is  our  own  until 
they  see  him — a  rumor  which  has  become  rife, 
owing  to  the  vile  tongue  of  Snapit.  But  before 
we  can  entirely  set  loose  Salander,  Conscienza 
must  be  put  to  sleep,  and  think  what  comfort 
we  shall  have  then.  None  of  those  perpetual 
knockings  at  the  door,  and  tyrannical  reproofs, 
which  you  have  so  long  submitted  to.  The  cas- 
tle will  be  our  own." 

"  Ay,  ay  !  you  can  see  through  a  pine  board, 
woman.  Take  your  own  way.  The  effect  of 
the  potion  is  only  temporary,  and  I  should  not 
be  surprised  if  Salander,  and  the  sorceress,  and 
Conscienza,  should  all  come  back  together,  and 
I  should  have  to  pay  the  sizentiers  to  the  one 
and  the  threatened  punishment  to  the  othe 


66  SALANDER    AND 

"  Take  your  hat,  Goodman,  and  come  with  me. 
I  mean  to  administer  the  potion  at  once,  and  I 
hope  he'll  never  wake  up." 

"  If  he  ever  does  wo  be  to  us,  wife." 
The  Lord  of  Conscienza  was  sitting  in  his 
abode,  calm  and  serene  as  a  monarch  on  his 
throne,  and  as  they  approached  him,  both  trem- 
bled and  held  their  heads  down,  for  he  gazed  at 
them  steadily.  He  asked  them  if  they  had  done 
all  things  as  he  directed  to  the  poor  and  needy 
within  their  reach,  and  when  they  answered  in 
the  affirmative,  for  they  had  indeed  fed  many, 
his  smile  of  approbation  was  so  bland  and  sweet 
that  it  melted  their  hearts.  But  when  he  in- 
quired if  they  had  kept  the  little  Salander  safe 
and  sound,  Goodman  stammered,  and  his  wife? 
seeing  that  the  moment  had  come,  approached 
and  held  the  phial  so  that  the  pungent  odor 
should  reach  his  brain.  In  a  moment  his  eyes 
waxed  heavy,  his  head  sank  upon  his  breast, 
and  she  hastened  to  apply  the  liquid  to  his  lips. 
The  deed  was  done.  The  subtile  essence  stole 
through  all  his  veins,  outstripped  the  blood,  and 
jjeached  the  very  source  of  life.  Stupor  possess- 
ed him,  and  he  who  Avas  lately  so  active  and 
lay  stretched  in  his  palace  in  a  deep 


THE    DRAGON.  67 

trance,  for  the  decoction  was  composed  of  the 
most  drowsy  herbs,  such  as  Think-not,  and 
World's-care,  and  Never-pray.  The  influence 
acted  upon  Goodman  and  his  wife,  for  they  both 
became  immediately  callous,  and  felt  not  the 
least  compunction  for  what  they  had  done,  but 
proceeded  to  bind  the  Lord  of  Conscicnza  hand 
and  foot  in  his  own  house ;  but  they  little  thought 
of  the  time  when  he  should  wake  up  in  his 
majesty  and  strength. 

Great  indeed  was  the  comfort  of  the  people 
who  lived  in  the  Hartz  Prison,  when  at  last 
freed  from  their  master's  supervision.  They 
went  not  to  ask  his  advice  in  the  morning,  nor 
to  be  questioned  and  examined  at  the  close  of 
day ;  and  they  were  not  troubled  with  the  te- 
dious keeping  of  books  or  balancing  of  accounts, 
living  from  hand  to  mouth.  They  also  got  rid 
of  certain  observances  which  Conscienza  had  en- 
joined upon  them,  as  well  as  upon  all  his  sub- 
jects, such  as  saying  their  prayers  regularly  at 
least  twice  every  day ;  for  Goodman  complained 
that  it  wore  out  the  knees  of  his  clothes.  They 
also  led  a  more  jovial  life,  and  sent  for  a  cask 
of  malt  liquor  from  the  town  of  Drown  th  or  t,  and 
all  the  neighbors  wondered  what  could. 


"* 


68  SALANDER  AND 

brought  so  great  change  over  them.     It  was  ru- 
mored that  they  did  not  pay  their  debts. 

Seeing  nothing  of  the  sorceress  for  some  time, 
they  forgot  all  about  the  tribute  of  sizentiers, 
having  been  informed  by  a  lawyer  that  the 
mortgage  Avhich  they  had  executed  was  not 
worth  a  single  stiver,  because  their  lord  (at 
present  in  a  trance)  had  a  previous  mortgage  on 
their  whole  estate.  They  would  take  care  not 
to  put  themselves  again  into  the  clutches  of  the 
old  lady,  and  if  she  dared  to  injure  them  by  her 
incantations,  or  to  say  one  word  about  the  bar- 
gain they  had  made,  they  would  expose  it  to  the 
world  that  she  was  a  witch,  which  would  entitle 
her  to  be  burned. 

All  things  being  ready  for  the  much-cherished 
scheme  of  letting  Saldi  go,  they  went  one  day  to 
the  cell  and  communicated  the  intelligence,  by 
which  he  was  overcome  with  joy,  and  threw  a 
series  of  somersets.  They  then  led  him  out  by 
a  chain  into  the  parlor,  and  tied  him  to  the  and- 
iron, until  theytcould  make  arrangement  for  his 
more  perfect  liberty.  When  Goodman  and  his 
wife  gazed  at  the  little  dwarf  behind  and  before, 
they  became  more  struck  with  his  deformity 
than  when  they  held  him  a  close  prisoner  in  the 


THE    DRAGON.  69 

cell,  for  they  scarcely  permitted  their  own  eyes 
to  gaze  on  him,  and  besides  the  place  was  so  se- 
cret and  so  dark.  But  now,  as  he  danced  round 
the  andiron,  almost  choking  himself  by  the 
winding  of  the  chain,  forcing  his  tongue  out  of 
his  mouth,  and  almost  making  his  green  eyes 
bulge  out  of  his  head,  Pryint  exclaimed,  laugh- 
ing as  if  she  would  die, 

"  Oh,  Saldi,  what  a  beauty  you  are !"  then 
unwinding  the  chain,  and  leading  him  along, 
"  come  and  look  at  yourself  in  the  glass,"  said 
she. 

She  was  several  dollars  the  loser  by  that  piece 
of  folly,  for  the  dwarf  no  sooner  saw  himself  in 
the  mirror  than  he  kicked  it  into  a  thousand 
fragments ;  then  touching  his  chapeau,  and  bow- 
ing to  the  earth,  "  Excuse  rne,  "taadam,"  he 
said,  "  but  I  can  not  permit  .a  rival ;  neither  do 
I  think  it  right  that  your  ladyship  should  be 
burdened  by  taking  my  brother  to  board." 
Then  looking  down  and  seeing  a  hundred  little 
images  of  himself  in  the  pieces  of  the  mirror,  he 
began  a  fantastic  dance  upon  his  heels,  whereby 
he  smashed  them  into  a  fine  powder. 

Pryint,  in  a  rage,  gave  the  chain  a  pull, 
which  squeezed  the  dwarf's  neck  into  a  compass 


70  SALANDER    AND 

not  much  larger  than  the  circumference  of  a 
wedding  ring ;  then  snatching  him  up,  jammed 
him  down  violently  into  a  child's  arm  chair, 
where,  being  corpulent  about  the  loins,  he  stuck. 
Goodman  added  to  the  infliction  by  slapping  his 
cheeks,  on  which  he  bawled  out  so  tremendously 
that  he  could  be  heard  to  the  distance  of  one 
mile.  This  brought  the  neighbors  to  the  prison 
from  far  and  near  to  see  what  was  to  pay. 

"  I  declare,"  said  Goodman,  looking  around 
the  room  at  the  ruin,  "  this  is  too  bad.  My 
little  man, "we  can't  keep  you  any  longer,  as  you 
have  been  a  great  damage  to  us,  and  on  some 
conditions  we  mean  to  discharge  you  this  very 
day." 

"  All  the  better,"  said  Salander  ;  "give. us 
the  passports." 

"  Yes,"  proceeded  Goodman,  "  we  mean  to 
send  you  to  seek  your  fortune  in  the  world. 
Upon  your  word  and  honor  you  will  do  harm  to 
nobody "?" 

"•Na !"  replied  he ;  "  na,  na !" 

Then  Goodman  directed  his  attention  to  a 
chart  which  hung  up — for  in  his  younger  days  he 
had  been  a  great  traveler — a  chart  of  tides,  and 
cuts,  and  quicksands,  and  a  lively  delinea- 


,,, 


THE    DRAGON.  71 

tion  of  the  boundaries  of  all  the  countries  in  the 
known  world. 

"  See  here,  my  little  man,"  said  he,  "  will 
you  promise  to  leave  this  country  without  delay, 
and  never  come  back  again,  and — fix  your  eyes 
up  here — will  you  immediately  take  ship,  cross 
over  the  Mare  Meditterraneum  to  Tripoli,  so  on 
through  the  great  Sahara,  the  dominions  of 
Prester  John,  and  the  Prince  of  Abyss}rnia,  cross 
the  Mountains  of  the  Moon,  and  finally  settle 
down  at  Mozambique  ?" 

Salander  thumped  his  liver  most  emphatically, 
nodded  his  head,  and  ejaculated  "  Yaw,  yaw  !" 

"  And  will  you  try  to  reform  the  savages  ?" 

Saldi  grinned  from  ear  to  ear.  That  was  the 
very  thing  which  he  had  been  thinking  of,  and 
if  no  objection  lay  he  would  like  to  visit  the 
Thracian  Bosphorus,  and  take  the  Holy  Land 
in  his  way,  and  from  Mozambique  would  cross 
the  channel  to  the  Ethiopian  Archipelago ; 
"  The  farther  the  better,  only,"  said  he,  "  you 
will  give  me  a  nice  walking  stick  with  a  silver 
head,  won't  you,  papa  ?" 

"  What  shall  we  do  without  the  little  fellow  V9 
exclaimed  Pryint ;  and  she  began  to  set  the  table 
to  give  him  his  dinner  before  he  went.  She  put 


72  SALANDER    AND 

on  a  snow-white  cloth,  and  knife  and  fork,  and 
platter,  and  a  haunch  of  venison,  to  be  followed 
by  a  pudding  of  wild  oats.  He  took  his  seat, 
commanded  silence  by  hammering  loudly  on  the 
table,  arid  folding  his  arms  over  his  bosom,  and 
rolling  his  eyes  up  most  hypocritically,  aifected 
to  say  grace.  Goodman  and  his  wife  would 
have  been  displeased  at  the  act  once,  but  now 
they  laughed  aloud.  In  the  mean  time  the 
neighbors,  attracted  by  his  screams,  arrived, 
and  were  freely  admitted. 

"Saldi,  Mrs.  Snapit." 

"How  do?  take  seat." 

"  Saldi,  Mrs.  Fussom's  nurse." 

"  How's  Mr.  Blab  ?"  , 

"  Saldi,  Mrs.  Goodsoul." 

"  Good  morning." 

"  Saldi,  Mrs.  Pompus." 

tw  I'm  happy  to  see  you,  Pompus,J?  etc. 

It  is  impossible  to  express  the  surprise  of  those 
present  when  they  looked  at  the  dwarf,  but  the 
remarks  were  something  as  follows  : 

FIRST  LADY.  I  never  could  have  imagined 
any  thing  of  the  kind. 

SECOND  LADY.  My  ears  heard  something 
vague,  but  I  did  not  credit  my  ears. 


THE    DRAGON.  73 

THIRD  LADY.  Now  my  eyes  behold  it,  I  can 
hardly  credit  my  eyes  ! 

FOURTH  LADY.  Perfectly  horrible !  far  worse 
than  I  supposed. 

FIFTH  LADY.  Who  would  have  supposed  it ! 
what  is  the  world  coming  to  '? 

SIXTH  LADY.  We  can't  be  too  thankful  that 
we  are  not  the  parents  of  such. 

SEVENTH  LADY.  The  world  will  never  be- 
lieve us  that  there  is  such  a  monster  in  the 
world. 

SALDI.  Hold  your  tongues. 

While  this  conversation  proceeded,  the  window 
was  slightly  darkened,  and  the  casque  and 
plume  of  a  knight  were  seen,  who  looked  in  upon 
the  company  and  smiled.  Goodman  and  Pryint 
both  started  from  their  seats,  ejaculating,  in  a 
breath,  "  Don  Officioso !  Don  Officioso  !"  They 
ran  to  the  door,  but  saw  nobody,  and  heard  only 
the  clattering  of  hoofs. 

"  Saldi,  your  papa  has  been  here,"  said  they, 
returning. 

"Nobody  wishes  to  father  Salander,"  says 

he ;  "no  matter,  those  who  take  me  up  will 

have  to  father  me,  that's  all.     Want's  more  j" 

and  he  swallowed  the  last  mouthful  of  pudding. 

4 


Y4  SALANDER   AND 

"  This  is  the  last  meal  you  will  take  here," 
said  Pryint ;  "  what  liquor  will  you  drink  ?" 

He  winked  his  eye  and  crooked  his  forefinger 
in  the  most  knowing  manner,  to  beckon  her  to- 
ward him. 

"  What  is  it,  darling  ?"  said  she,  putting  her 
ear  down. 

He  placed  his  arm  round  her  neck,  and  whis- 
pered loud  enough  for  all  the  company  to  hear, 
"  CRAMBAMB." 

She  went  and  procured  it. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  swallowing  it  at  a  single 
gulp,  and  rising  from  the  table,  which  he  over- 
turned, "  we  must  be  getting  ready.  Your  lit- 
tle boy  wants  a  pair  of  silver  spurs." 

She  went  and  procured  him  a  pair  of  silver 
spurs. 

"  And  now  he  wants  a  sash  and  small 
sword." 

She  went  and  procured  him  a  sash  and  small 
sword. 

Then  the  dwarf  put  them  on,  and  placing  his 
chapeau  under  his  arm,  went  all  round  to  kiss 
the  company  good-by,  beginning  with  the  old 
people  first.  But  the  new  comers  screamed  and 
placed  their  hands  before  their  faces. 


THE    DRAGON.  75 

"  They  make  believe  not  to  be  fond  of  me," 
said  lie ;  "I  could  make  either  one  of  them  fall 
in  love  with  me." 

After  he  had  taken  an  affectionate  leave  of 
Goodman  and  his  wife,  they  conducted  him  into 
the  open  air,  to  a  narrow  point  of  land,  called 
and.  This  was  ruddy,  and  apparently  of 
volcanic  origin,  and  jutted  from  the  headland 
into  the  open  sea. 

"  Now,"  said  they,  urging  him  to  the  end  of 
this  point  with  a  pitchfork,  "  don't  look  behind 
you — jump  and  swim  for  your  life." 

At  the  word,  Salander  placed  his  fingers  in 
his  mouth,  and  produced  a  piercing  whistle, 
when  suddenly  a  whizzing  in  the  air  was  heard, 
and  a  bat-winged  dragon  made  his  appearance, 
on  whose  back  Salander  leaped,  and  striking  his 
spurs  deep,  vanished  speedily  in  the  clear  blue 
air. 

"  Heaven  defend  us !"  said  the  jailer  to  his 
wife,  "we  have  ENTERTAINED  AN  EVIL  SPIRIT." 


SALANDER  AND  THE  DRAGON, 


BOOK   II. 

IN  the  province  of  Gudneiburud,  high  up  on 
an  eminence,  there  stood  at  the  date  of  this 
story  a  beautiful  alabaster  palace,  called  Gudf  •"•"- 
naim.  Builded  of  so  pure  a  material,  and  glis- 
tening in  the  transparent  air  and  sunshine,  it 
looked  as  if  a  sculptor  had  carved  it.  Its  har- 
monious proportion  filled  the  eye  with  pleasure, 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  dreamy  and  bewildering 
realm  of  Beuti/and  the  richly  cultivated  fields 
of  Meind,  it  was  the  very  object  which  enhanced 
both — the  darling  inheritance  of  its  lord.  From 
his  fathers  he  had  received  it,  and  he  desired 
to  bequeath  it,  beautiful  and  unimpaired,  to 
those  who  came  after  him;  and  to  this  end  he 
had  kept  it  free  from  mortgages,  and  embellish- 
ed it  with  his  own  hands.  Storms  and  tempests 
had  destroyed  the  more  unsubstantial  tenements 
about  it,  but  they  had  never  dislodged  one  stone 


80  SALANDER  AND 

from  the  well-founded  palace  of  Gudnaim,  and 
afar  over  the  billows  of  the  sea  its  Corinthian 
columns  could  be  seen,  a  shining  beacon  to  the 
mariner. 

Besides  this  possession  the  owner  had  nothing. 
I  speak  this  in  comparison  of  that  which  he  once 
enjoyed,  although  he  still  lived  as  a  baron,  in 
the  midst  of  a  small  and  compact  manor.  Riches 
had  flapped  their  fiery  wings  and  flown  away ; 
his  ships,  laden  with  pearls  from  Coromandel, 
had  struck  upon  a  coral  reef,  but  from  this  glo- 
rious palace  of  Gudnaim  he  could  see  his  neigh- 
bors' argosies  sail  into  port  without  a  sigh,  and 
the  waves  strewed  with  the  wrecks  of  his  own 
fortune  without  a  tear. 

"  Stella,"  he  said  to  his  fair  young  wife, 
whom  he  loved  better  than  his  own  soul,  "  why 
weep  over  our  losses  while  we  still  possess  Gud- 
naim 1  I  would  not  barter  it  for  gold  or  silver, 
though  I  had  to  toil  all  my  life,  and  to  eat  the 
bread  of  carefulness.  But  these  few  smiling  acres 
are  our  own,  and  all  which  is  embraced  within 
this  wide  horizon  of  Peace  is  ours  so  long  as  we 
do  not  envy  its  possession  by  others.  For  our 
neighbors'  inclosures  serve  to  set  off  ours,  and 
my  bill-top,  and  table-land,  and  terraces  would 


THE  DRAGON. 


81 


be  nothing  without  their  sloping  meadows.  For 
you,  dearest,"  he  said,  casting  on  his  wife  a 
look  of  tender  love,  "  why  sigh  for  gaudy  trink- 
ets, when  no  rude  hand  can  rob  you  of  the  richer 
jewel  which  remains" — for  Stella  wore  upon  her 
brow  a  more  precious  gem  than  ever  flashed  in 
the  casket  of  an  empress. 

Every  one  in  Guctneiburud,  except  Duke 
d'Envy,  loved  Wurthi^"but  because  the  latter 
lived  in  a  fine  mansion  the  duke  hated  him, 
even  with  a  bitter  hatred,  and  at  this  very  mo- 
ment his  eyes  were  directed  toward  Gudnaim, 
and  were  displeased  with  the  glare  of  the  ala- 
baster, which  he  declared  was  enough  to  blind 
one.  At  the  same  time,  however,  he  was  struck 
with  the  reflection  of  a  light  more  dazzling  even 
than  Stella's  jewel,  which  came  from  overhead, 
as  if  a  bit  of  mirror  were  suspended,  and  the 
long  radii  flitted  and  flashed  with  inconceivable 
velocity  over  the  plains.  This  was  produced  by 
the  sword  of  Salander,  who  was  thrashing  his 
dragon  in  mid  air.  The  duke  cast  his  eye  up- 
ward, and  a  grim  smile  overspread  his  counte- 
nance. "  Ha  !"  said  he,  bringing  his  eye-glass 
to  a  focus,  "  there  goes  my  little  chicken  on  the 
little  hobby-horse  I  gave  him." 
4* 

4 


82  SALANDER    AND 

After  this  he  mounted  a  high-mettled  charger 
— the  same  on  which  he  had  visited  the  Hartz 
Prison — to  go  and  ask  Lady  Somehodie  whether 
she  had  circulated  a  report,  or  insinuated  it  to 
Lady  Soandso,  that  he  repudiated  his  own  chil- 
dren. The  duke  said  what  he  liked  about  other 
people,  hut  he  blew  a  trumpet  in  his  courtyard 
and  called  all  his  vassals  to  arms,  if  a  lance 
were  thrown  toward  his  own  inclosures. 

Little  did  the  good  Wurthi,  who  had  so  lately 
congratulated  himself  on  his  condition,  dream 
what  disasters  were  impending.  On  that  very 
night  his  steward  entered  the  house  with  alarm 
on  his  countenance.  "  Oh,  master  !"  he  said, 
"  pray  come  without ;  there  is  a  large,  black  ob- 
ject in  the  air." 

Stimulated  by  curiosity,  he  ran  out  upon  the 
lawn,  but  saw  nothing.  "Fidelio,"  he  said, 
"  you  are  moonstruck  ;  go  immediately  to  your 
chamber,  and  bring  me<*io  more  stories  like 
this." 

Pity  is  it  that  he  was  so  peremptory  with  Fi- 
delio, for  the  object  seen  was  Salarider,  who, 
after  leaving  Tungland,  instead  of  going  on 
swift  pinions  to  Mozambique,  as  he  had  promis- 
ed, only  wheeled  about  with  a  few  gyrations  in 


THE  DRAGON.  83 

the  air,  and  came  with  a  whizzing  sound  to 
Gudnaim.  The  farmer's  wife  afterward  said 
that  she  distinctly  heard  his  sharp  cries  and 
objurgations  as  he  reined  in  his  steed,  and  found 
a  pool  of  black  and  clotted  blood  on  the  pave- 
ment, which,  from  flying  too  high,  might  have 
proceeded  from  the  nostrils  of  the  dragon,  or 
else  from  his  reeking  sides,  under  the  spurs  or 
sword  of  Salander. 

The  first  thing  the  dwarf  did  was  to  establish 
himself  in  safe  quarters,  that  he  might  survey 
the  premises  at  leisure.  In  a  dark  cave  of  the 
mountain,  scarcely  ever  entered,  except  by  the 
stray  foot  of  a  wolf,  he  stabled  Drak — so  he  fa- 
miliarly called  the  beast — and  fed  him  on  green 
apples.  He  himself  clambered  to  the  top  of  a 
haycock,  where  he  excavated  a  little  hole,  out 
of  which  he  could  just  rise  with  his  head  and 
ears,  and  peep  cunningly  about.  In  this  place 
he  could  overhear  they^onversation  of  the  maid- 
servants, and  learn  something  of  family  matters. 
After  sundown,  when  he  saw  no  one  about,  he 
would  slide  down  and  creep  along  under  the 
shadow  of  the  fences  like  a  sly  rat,  to  milk  the 
cows,  and  to  suck  eggs  ;  he  also  pulled  the 
chickens  from  their  roosts  and  drank  the  blood, 


84  SALANDER  AND 

in  consequence  of  which  in  a  few  days  he  waxed 
as  fat  as  a  little  pig.  By  and  by  he  got  so 
bold  that,  watching  his  opportunity,  he  crept 
into  the  house  without  being  perceived,  and  hid 
himself  in  the  sideboard.  Here  he  found  some 
good  burgundy,  of  which  he  consumed  two  bot- 
tles, and  pronouncing  it  a  very  agreeable  tipple, 
went  back  to  the  haycock  drunk.  For  shame, 
Salander  !  to  be  drinking  a  man's  wine  and 
plotting  against  his  house ! 

Being  in  this  situation,  and  snoozing  away  on 
the  clover,  he  had  forgotten  to  feed  his  dragon 
with  green  apples,  on  which  the  latter  began  to 
drum  with  his  wings,  and  to  roar  prodigiously, 
like  a  young  lion. 

Salander  distinctly  recognized  the  sound,  al- 
though smothered  by  the  sides  of  the  mountain ; 
at  the  same  time  he  overheard  two  domestics 
talking  thus : 

"  Peter,  what's  that?  ..Did'st  hear  it?" 

"  Ay,"  replied  the  other,  "  and  not  for  the  first 
time  either.  I  doubt  there  is  a  wild  beast  in  the 
mountain.  The  sheep  refuse  to  leave  the  pens." 

"  If  that  be  so,"  said  Brom,  "  we  must  get  - 
up  a  party  to  hunt.     Peter,  I  think  there's  a 
weasel  in  that  haycock." 


THE    DRAGON.  85 

Down  went  the  head  of  Salander,  like  a 
sinker. 

"Why  so  ?" 

"  Methought  my  eyes  caught  the  sight  of  one 
yester  eve." 

"  We  must  see  to  that,"  replied  Peter. 
"  John  !"  he  shouted,  "  bring  some  pitchforks 
from  the  stables." 

The  boy  brought  them,  and  all  three  began 
to  stab  the  pile,  striking  first  at  the  base.  Sa- 
lander covered  up  his  head  and  ears,  the  per- 
spiration rolled  out  of  his  pores,  but  he  lay  as 
still  as  a  mouse,  cursing  the  Duke  d'Envy  in  his 
heart  for  exposing  him  to  the  point  of  such  per- 
ils. After  searching  very  thoroughly  the  lower 
part  of  the  stack,  and  finding  no  weasel  there, 
the  pitchforks  approached  the  guilty  parts. 

"  Bring  a  ladder,"  said  Peter. 

Salander  drew  his  legs  and  shoulders  and  head 
together  into  a  compass  no  larger  than  the  ap- 
parent moon,  and  much  did  his  gizzard  palpitate 
as  he  fielt  the  sharp  tines  grazing  his  very  cheek, 
and  saw  the  flashes,  like  electric  light,  pass  with- 
in three  inches  of  his  eyes.  He,  had  a  great 
mind  to  bounce  out  of  his  hiding-place,  jump 
like  an  incubus  on  the  shoulders  of  the  men,  fly 


86  SALANDER    AND 

to  the  cavern,  harness  Drak,  and  betake  himself 
to  the  upper  realms.  But  unfortunates  like 
himself  are  always  in  luck.  Though  spited, 
they  find  compensation.  Presently  the  assail- 
ants retired,  and  Salander,  emerging  again  at 
the  top  of  the  haystack,  looked  up  into  the 
blessed  sun,  and  sneezed. 

Salander  did  not  go  out  of  his  retreat  now 
for  some  time,  except  on  moonless  nights  to 
sharpen  a  pickaxe  on  a  grindstone,  and  to  force 
his  way  through  the  cellar  window  to  steal  more 
wine^  He  also  made  way  with  a  spade  and  a 
few  sharp  instruments,  and  made  a  depository 
for  these  things  under  the  haycock.  But  he  was 
preparing  to  steal  away  something  far  more 
precious  than  gold,  and  to  produce  a  wholesale 
ruin,  which  words  can  not  describe.  Oh,  Good- 
mnn  !  Goodman  !  it  is  well  for  you  that  the 
Lord  of  Conscienza  sleeps  soundly,  or  he  would 
punish  you  for  letting  the  prisoner  go. 

While  the  dwarf  lived  in  the  haystack,  he 
surveyed  the  premises  very  carefully  to  find  out 
if  the  house  of  Gudnaim  were  open  to  an  at- 
tack ;  but  its  materials  were  strong  and  incom- 
bustible, and  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock.  Any 
open  assaults  would  be  abortive,  and  he  made 


THE    DRAGON.  87 

up  his  mind  that  only  by  great  patience  it  might 
possibly  be  undermined,  and  made  to  tumble  in 
ruin  about  the  heads  of  the  inmates  before  they 
suspected  any  thing.  He  selected,  as  the  place 
of  his  earliest  operation,  the  great  corner-stone 
on  which  the  house  rested.  Almost  every  night 
the  baron's  attention  was  attracted  by  a  slight 
clicking  sound,  and  his  lady  requested  him  to 
look  out  of  the  casement  to  find  out  whence  it 
proceeded ;  but  seeing  nothing,  he  presumed  it 
to  be  the  dews  of  the  night,  which,  collecting 
upon  the  roof  of  the  alabaster  palace,  -fell 
down,  drop  by  drop,  upon  the  stones  below.  It 
was  a  pity  that  he  was  so  guileless  and  unsus- 
pecting, for  he  had  entirely  mistaken  the  cause 
of  the  sound.  It  was  not  the  deAv  of  heaven, 
but  the  pickaxe  of  Salander  !  He  had  put  on  a 
pair  of  mouse-skin  slippers,  and  was  nt  the 
corner  of  the  house,  trying  to  nick  a  little  hole. 
Much  he  swore  and  grumbled  to  himself  because 
the  stone  was  underground,  and  hard  flint,  re- 
quiring his  pickaxe  often  to  be  sharpened  anew. 
Had  the  tenants  of  the  baron  discovered  the 
little  wretch  at  his  work,  they  would  have 
knocked  him  over  the  skull  with  a  bludgeon, 
and  not  waited  to  put  him  in  the  donjon-keep. 


88  SALANDER    AND 

But  lie  was  an  active,  volatile  spirit,  always 
eluding  detection,  and  so  he  kept  making  steady 
and  sure  progress  every  day,  and  always  taking 
care  to  cover  up  and  conceal  the  work  as  he  ad- 
vanced. Time  flew  pleasantly  with  him,  much 
more  than  in  the  Hartz  Prison,  where  he  had 
nothing  to  do,  and  the  chance  of  escape  was 
doubtful.  He  literally  lived  in  clover,  and  his 
drink  was  burgundy  and  his  food  eggs,  and  by 
night  he  would  sometimes  take  an  airing  to  keep 
his  dragon  in  order.  "  Gee-up  !"  he  would  say, 
"  noAV  we  are  off  to  Mozambique ;"  but  he  al- 
ways wheeled  round  to  return  to  the  cavern  be- 
fore the  snow-white  pinnacles  of  the  palace 
faded  out  of  view. 

He  had  snoozed  one  night  upon  the  haystack 
until  the  middle  watch,  and  when  he  woke  up 
the  full,  round  moon  was  above  him,  in  whose 
soft  splendor  the  house  of  Goodnaim,  with  its 
exquisite  proportions,  seemed  like  a  dream  of 
enchantment.  Could  any  but  the  heart  of 
a  demon  meditate  to  turn  such  beauty  into 
waste?  All  the  inmates  of  the  palace  were 
asleep — not  a  sound  was  heard,  and  not  a  foot 
Stirring. 

Salander  rubbed  his  eyes  with  his  knuckles, 


THE    DRAGON.  89 

and  silently  slid  down  to  the  base  of  the  hay- 
cock, meditating  a  new  scheme.  He  had  ob- 
served a  ladder  placed  against  a  side  of  the 
mansion.  "  Ha !"  said  he,  "  this  is  the  very 
thing  we  Avant,  this  ladder ;  we  will  go  on  an 
exploring  expedition  to-night  into  the  upper 
stories.  Hitherto  we  have  been  too  humble, 
and  confined  ourselves  too  much  to  the  cellar. 
The  lights  are  all  out ;  let  us  see  what  there  is 
up  stairs." 

The  ladder  was  placed  against  the  window  of 
a  chamber  occupied  by  Barbara,  a  maid-servant, 
who  had  blown  out  her  candle  a  little  while 
previous.  She  was  in  the  habit  of  reading  ro- 
mances and  fairy  tales  to  a  late  hour,  contrary 
to  the  regulations  of  the  house,  and  now  she 
had  been  reading  all  about  Prince  Pretty,  and 
the  Magic  Mirror,  and  the  Lord  of  Drechnafels, 
till  she  fell  asleep,  leaving  the  candle  to  burn 
down  in  the  socket,  while  she  dreamed  of  these 
things.  The  dwarf,  being  on  the  topmost  rung, 
peeps  in,  and  seeing  Barbara  snugly  nestled, 
gets  in  softly,  softly,  softly,  and  stands  by  her 
bedside,  like  an  incubus  of  the  night.  The 
moon  was  shining  full  into  the  room,  by  the 
light  of  which  he  takes  up  the  book  and  reads 


90  SALANDER    AND 

a  page,  and  pronounces  it  interesting,  but  not 
sufficiently  strong  food  for  him. 

"  Dear,"  said  he.     No  answer. 

"My  love,  don't  you  hear  me?  It's  only 
Salander."  No  answer. 

"  He !  he !  he  !"  said  he,  inwardly  giggling  ; 
"now  for  a  little  fun."  So  he  puts  his  hand  to 
his  head,  and  draws  out  a  straw,  which  he  con- 
tracted in  the  haystack,  with  which  he  begins 
to  tickle  Barbara's  nose. 

The  maid  mistook  it,  perhaps,  for  the  mou- 
stache of  some  knight-errant,  who  would  exact 
the  tribute  of  a  kiss. 

"  No,  no !"  she  exclaimed,  placing  her  hand 
before  her  face. 

Salander  applied  the  straw  to  .her  ear,  with 
which  she  woke  up,  and  he  hopped  behind  her 
couch.  She  stared  wildly  around  for  an  instant, 
but  seeing  nothing,  placed  her  head  again  on 
the  pillow,  and  again  he  applied  the  straw. 
Turning  her  head  suddenly,  oh,  horrors  !  she 
saw  him.  Her  blood  froze ;  she  lost  all  strength ; 
she  was  like  one  smitten  with  death.  He  sat 
down  beside  her  and  took  her  hand,  which  was 
cold,  icy  cold,  in  his.  "  Dear,"  said  he,  "  come 
to.  Nobody  means  to  hurt  you.  As  soon  as  I 


THE    DRAGON.  91 

tell  my  errand  you  will  believe  it — yes,  you  will. 
Haven't  I  been  living  in  tins  neighborhood  for  a 
long  time  1  Haven't  I  seen  you  every  day,  and 
respect  you  as  if  I  were  a  brother?  Why, 
I'm  Duke  d'Envy's  son.  I  know  your  name — 
Barbara,"  said  he,  placing  his  hand  upon  her 
mouth,  "  none  of  that.  So  surely  as  you  make 
a  noise  to  rouse  up  this  neighborhood  you  shall 
never  see  daylight.'  I  will  take  you  up  and 
throw  you  headlong  out  of  the  windows  of 
this  alabaster  palace  to  the  ground,  so  that 
you  may  be  killed  by  the  fall,  and  I  will 
then  drag  you  to  the  woods  to  be  devoured  by 
the  wolves.  Now,  if  you  don't  want  to  be  a 
mouthful,  silence  in  this  chamber,  so  that  you 
can  hear  the  stars  wink  !  Scream,  if  you  -dare, 
but  if  you  will  listen  to  me  tranquilly,  I  will  do 
you  no  injury,  not  in  the  least ;  on  the  contrary, 
I  will  act  as  your  friend.  Look  at  me,"  said 
he,  hopping  out  into  the  room  and  dancing  a 
pas  seul  in  the  moonbeams  ;  "  look  at  me  and 
say,  do  I  look  as  if  I  would  speak  false  1  No, 
I  think  I  hear  you  say.  Now  you  won't  scream, 
will  you,  love  ?  Then  kiss  me.  Hi !  hi !  hi ! 
hi !  Remember,  one  single  cry,  yes,  so  loud  as 
the  bleating  of  a  lamb,  will  supply  the  wolf 


92  SALANDER    AND 

market,  and  then  when  your  bones  are  found 
the  sexton  will  dig  a  grave  for  you,  and  the  par- 
ish bell  will  be  rung,  and  the  young  people  will 
go  to  your  funeral  all  dressed  in  white,  and 
there  will  be  sobbing,  sobbing,  sobbing ;"  and 
as  he  said  this,  with  a  diabolic  grin,  the  heart 
of  the  poor  girl  beat  so  loudly  that  it  could  be 
heard. 

,  "  Listen  to  me,"  he  again  proceeded ;  "  I  tell 
you  that  you  are  safe.  I  will  not  hurt  you — by 
every  thing  which  is  most  sacred.  If  you  will 
help  me  to  discover  something  which  is  in  your 
power,  then  I  will  tell  you  where  your  true  lover 
is  to  be  found." 

It  was  many  minutes  before  the  girl  could 
speak;  but  at  last,  finding  no  remedy,  and 
summoning  up  courage,  she  asked  in  a  feeble, 
faltering  voice,  what  it  was  he  wanted,  at  the 
same  time  imploring  that  he  would  not  hurt  her. 
Nor,  terrified  as  she  was,  was  the  expression 
altogether  lost  on  her  ear,  that  he  would  tell  her 
where  her  true  lover  was  to  be  found. 

"  Your  mistress,"  said  he,  "  has  a  very  pre- 
cious gem,  which  she  wears  upon  her  fore- 
head." 

"  Yes." 


THE  DRAGON.  93 

"  And  I  must  have  it,  for  I  have  set  my  heart 
upon  it,  and  I  have  heard  that  it  flashes  more 
brilliantly  than  any  jewel  in  the  imperial  dia- 
dem." 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  my  poor  mistress  would  die  if  she 
lost  it." 

"  No,  she  wouldn't  die.  It  isn't  food,  or 
sleep,  or  clothing,  is  it  ?  and  I  wan't  it ;  enough 
said." 

".Oh,  dear!  oh,  dear!" 

"  Don't  say  oh,  dear !  oh,  dear !  or  out  of 
the  window  you  go,  Barbara,  and  it  won't  be 
like  throwing  out  a  feather,  darling !  A  feather 
has  no  bones  to  break — as  has  been  well 
said." 

"  Dreadful  man,  what  must  I  do  1" 

"  You  must  steal  that  jewel  for  me." 

"  Oh,  I  can  not,  can  not  steal !  I  have  kept 
my  hands  from  picking  and  stealing.  What 
would  Father  Hennepin  say?" 

"Say?  Ego  te  absolve.  I  don't -care  what 
he  says.  Will  you  do  what  I  say?" 

"  I  will  try,"  whimpered  Barbara. 

"  Try  !  You  had  better.  If  you  don't,  I'll 
be  the  death  of  you ;  and  if  you  do  I'll  tell  you 
where  your  true  lover  is  to  be  found." 


94  SALANDER    AND 

"  My  mistress  always  wears  the  jewel  upon 
her  forehead." 

"  It  is  very  well.  I  want  it  now.  I  must  have  it 
now.  My  stay  is  limited.  You  have  not  one  mo- 
ment to  spare,  unless  you're  a  feather,  Barbara, 
or  the  moonbeams  will  buoy  you  up.  Rise  imme- 
diately and  get  that  jewel,  as  has  been  well  said." 

The  terrified  maid  had  no  alternative,  and 
she  rose  trembling,  and  passed  into  the  hall, 
which  led  to  the  chamber  where  slept  the  baron 
and  his  wife.  Salandcr  went  behind  her  on  tip- 
toe, dancing  and  capering,  but  making  no  more 
noise  than  the  muffled  feet  of  a  mouse.  Pres- 
ently they  came  to  the  door. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  whispering,  "  open  softly ; 
don't  fall  back,  dear,  or  else  you  might  run 
against  this  dagger — a  casualty  much  to  be  de- 
plored— as  has  often  been  well  said.  Go,  and 
take  the  jewel." 

Barbara  entered  and  stood  by  her  mistress' 
side,  while  the  dwarf  peeped  in  at  the  door,  and 
there  sure  enough  glittered  the  envied  gem  on 
that  brow  so  pure  and  beautiful,  filling  the  wide 
apartment  with  its  multitude  of  rays. 

Barbara  took  the  gem,  leaving  a  tear  in  its 
place,  which  sparkled  for  a  few  moments  with 


THE    DRAGON.  95 

equal  brightness,  and  which  then  disappeared 
without  hands.  She  retired  afterward  to  her 
pillow  and  wept  many  of  them,  for  she  was  very 
sorry  that  she  had  stolen  a  thing  so  precious ; 
yet  after  all,  when  her  grief  abated,  she  reason- 
ed that  she  had  been  the  agent  of  another,  she 
did  not  mean  any  harm,  and  she  hoped  no  evil 
would  result,  and  that  God  would  forgive  her — 
and  so  she  slept. 

Salander  mounted  his  dragon,  calling  him,  as 
he  seized  the  reins,  by  the  various  endearing 
titles  of  Drak,  Drag,  Draco,  Dirk,  Dick,  Dicky, 
and  directed  him  on  swift  wings  toward  the  sea, 
and  as  he  held  up  the  glistening  jewel,  he 
screamed  aloud  in  the  air  of  night ;  he  had  done 
the  deed  so  slily,  so  silently,  keeping  in  the 
background.  He  also  reasoned .  that  he  did  not 
make  himself,  but  was  sent  upon  his  errand  by 
others,  he  acted  according  to  his  nature,  out  of 
the  love  of  pure  mischief,  and  those  who  had 
begotten  him,  and  sent  him  forth  to  seek  his 
own  fortune,  must  answer  for  the  consequence. 
"  If  there  is  any  consequence  I  shall  refer  them 
to  papa,"  said  he,  "  dear  papa ;"  and  being  at 
that  instant  over  the  paternal  abode,  he  took  a 
brickbat  out  of  his  pocket  and  dropped  it  on 


yb  SALANDER    ANI> 

the  roof,  to  make  the  old  gentleman,  he  said, 
pull  the  strings  of  his  night-cap.  When  he  got 
out  to  sea  he  took  the  gem  in  his  finger,  and 
kissed  it  farewell.  "  This,"  said  he,  "  will  not 
enrich  me,  although  the  loss  of  it  will  make  that 
unfortunate  lady  poor  indeed.  It  is  a  thing 
which  can  not  very  well  be  bartered  or  sold,  and 
to  this  interesting  boy  it  would  not  be  becoming, 
would  it,  Drak  ?  No — you  may  well  say  that, 
Tricky.  What  then  shall  I  do  with  it  1  Drop 
it  in  the  sea.  Gemmi,  Drak  says  I  must  drop 
you  in  the  sea."  With  this  he  let  it  fall,  and 
it  sparkled  like  a  dew-drop  through  the  moon- 
beams, and  it  still  flashed  upon  his  eye  while  it 
sank  clear  down  through  the  transparent  waters, 
till  it  reposed  with  other  gems  and  other  treas- 
ures in  the  coral  caverns  of  the  deep. 

On  his  return  landward,  he  saw  a  ship  at 
sea  speaking  another  ship,  and  with  one  down- 
ward swoop  he  snatched  the  trumpet  out  of  the 
captain's  hand. 

"What  was  that?"  said  the  captain  to  his 
mate.  "  Did  you  see  any  thing  ?" 

"Nothing  at  all,"  said  the  latter,  "but  I 
heard  a  whizzing  sound ;  there  goes  something 
black  in  the  air !" 


THE    DRAGON.  97 

"  It  is  the  devil !"  said  the  mariner,  swearing 
a  great  oath,  and  he  incorporated  it  in  his  long 
yarns  ever  after,  that  the  devil  came  one  night, 
and  snatched  his  speaking-trumpet  out  of  his 
hand. 

When  Salander  got  it,  he  blew  a  loud  blast, 
and  so  soon  as  he  neared  the  land,  and  came  with- 
in sight  of  houses,  he  began  to  speak  through  it. 

"  Hear  ye !  hear  ye  !  Wiklfell  House  has 
been  robbed.  Carline,  the  burgomaster,  did  it. 
Carline's  a  thief — Carline's  a  thief !"  and  the 
hills  echoed  back  the  sound,  "  Carline's  a 
thief!" 

"  Bow-wow-wow  !"  barked  the  squire's  dog. 

"  Boos,  the  squire's  dog,  kills  sheep !"  spake 
Salander  through  the  trumpet. 

"  The  squire's  dog  kills  sheep !"  answered 
the  echo. 

"  Heresy  !  heresy !  heresy  \"  shouted  he,  fly- 
ing over  the  cathedral  in  the  little  town  of  Hel- 
onerth,  and  the  whole  town  of  Helonerth  was 
waked  up. 

"  Hear  ye !  hear  ye !  hear  ye !  the  clergy- 
man's wife  in  the  parish  of  Muchlove  is  a 
witch !" 

The  next  day,  Carline,  the  burgomaster,  was 
5 


98  SALANDER  AND 

imprisoned ;  the  squire's  dog  was  killed  for 
sheep-stealing ;  the  bishop  was  arrested  for 
heresy;  the  clergyman's  wife  was  mobbed  for 
a  witch.  As  for  the  trumpet,  it  was  picked  up, 
and  all  the  populace  for  many  leagues  round 
made  a  pilgrimage  to  see  it,  as  having  belonged 
to  the  Angel  Gabriel. 

But  to  return  to  the  poor  lady  who  lost  the 
gem :  she  did  not  miss  it  at  first,  never  suspect- 
ing in  her  inmost  heart  that  any  would  envy  her 
the  possession,  and  until  she  went  into  the  world, 
and  it  began  to  be  whispered  and  noised  abroad, 
did  not  know  that  it  was  gone.  Then,  although 
she  had  done  no  evil,  and  was  the  same  pure 
being  that  she  was  before,  and  the  gem  rather 
represented  than  possessed  intrinsic  value,  she 
nearly  wept  out  her  eyes.  In  vain  she  searched 
for  that  which  could  be  recovered  no  more ;  and 
when  she  had  inquired  of  the  whole  household 
who  it  was  that  had  robbed  her,  and  received 
no  tidings,  she  shut  herself  up  in  her  apart- 
ment, and  refused  food ;  while  the  cause  of  all 
this  evil  lay  unknown  and  unmolested  in  his  re- 
tirement, contriving  new  mischief,  and  delighting 
in  what  he  had  already  done.  At  last  the  house 
of  Gudnahn  was  shrouded  in  black,  and  sorrow 


THE    DRAGON.  99 

gathered  in  the  faces  of  the  domestics,  and  the 
lord  of  the  manor  mourned  over  his  irreparable 
loss,  for  his  lady  was  the  impersonation  of  all 
goodness. 

Tenderly  the  domestics  wept  over  her,  but 
the  cold  world  would  not  even  attend  her  fune- 
ral, but  stood  afar  off,  and  amused  themselves 
with  sundry  sneers.  There  was  one  mysterious 
thing  which  struck  the  bystanders  when  the  last 
rites  were  performed.  The  solemn  service  took 
place  in  the  old  hallowed  cathedral,  where  she 
had  so  often  kneeled  down  to  receive  the  Holy 
Sacrament,  and  in  the  pauses  of  the  sepulchral 
chant  there  was  heard  a  continual  sobbing,  like 
wind-gusts  on  a  December  night.  It  came  from 
Salander,  who  had  concealed  himself  behind  the 
pipes  of  the  great  organ  to  behold  the  spectacle, 
where,  knowing  that  he  could  not  be  found,  he 
pretended  to  weep  like  a  child.  Hypocrite ! 

When  the  Duke  d'Envy  heard  of  this  death, 
he  lifted  up  his  hands  with  an  air  of  surprise, 
and  ordering  his  groom  to  have  his  spurs  polish- 
ed, and  his  charger  at  the  door  by  high  noon,  he 
rode  off  to  inquire  what  she  died  of.  0  that 
Goodman  and  his  wife,  Pryint,  could  have  been 
present  on  the  occasion!  but  they  had  given 


100  SALANDER    AND 

themselves  up  to  a  course  of  evil  living,  and 
were  without  government,  for  the  Lord  of  Con- 
scienza  remained  in  a  deep  trance,  as  if  laid 
out  in  state.  The  lady  was  huried,  and  a  pure 
and  beautiful  shaft  erected  to  her  memory  hag 
on  it  this  inscription : 


SHE    HEALED    THE    HEARTS    OF    THE 

SORROWFUL    WHEN    LIVING, 
AND   BROKE   THEM  WHEN  SHE  DIED. 


After  this,  Salander  removed  his  quarters 
from  the  haystack,  and  it  was  well  for  him  that 
he  did,  for  on  the  same  day  it  was  razed  to  the 
ground,  showing  how  hard  it  is  to  ferret  out  one 
of  his  character,  whose  nature  is  to  skulk.  He 
took  permanent  refuge  in  the  cellar,  carrying 
thither  his  spades,  and  pickaxe,  and  sapping 
utensils,  where  he  soon  got  busily  employed. 
If  any  one  came  in,  he  could  easily  conceal 
himself  behind  the  casks,  to  which  he  applied 
his  powers  of  suction  every  day.  So  carefully 
did  he  conceal  his  work  as  he  advanced,  that  no 
one,  from  the  loose  earth,  could  have  appre- 
hended any  thing  more  than  a  depredatory  rat. 
The  foundation  stones  on  which  the  building 


THE    DRAGON.  101 

had  rested  so  many  years  were  hard  and  flinty, 
and  nothing  but  a  sharp  instrument  and  ex- 
treme patience  could  make  an  impression  there- 
on. But  Salander  had  both,  and  it  seemed  to 
be  the  object  for  which  he  had  been  born,  to 
make  that  fair  building  topple  and  fall.  At 
last  the  excavation  was  made,  the  props  ar- 
ranged. He  unloosed  his  dragon,  and  carried 
on  his  machinations  at  a  distance.  Draco  had 
made  such  a  bellowing  in  the  cave  of  the  mount- 
ain, when  his  master,  from  his  own  excess  of 
food,  forgot  to  give  him  his  dinner,  that  the 
people  began  to  think  there  was  a  wolf  conceal- 
ed, and  the  very  next  day  went  after  him  with 
dogs  and  pikes ;  and  while  they  did  so,  a  big 
shadow,  as  of  a  vulture,  kept  following  the 
cavalcade.  They  hunted  in  vain ;  the  wicked 
creature  heard  the  echoes  made  by  the  barking 
of  the  dogs  and  by  the  horns, 

"  As  if  another  chase  were  in  the  sky." 

In  the  mean  time  he  amused  himself  with  a 
ballad : 

Ride  on,  ye  gallant  gentlemen,  uprising  with  the  morn, 
With  lance  and  spear,  each  fence  to  clear,  and  blow  your 
mellow  horn ; 


102  SALANDER    AND 

To  chase  the  wild  wolf  to  his  den,  to  rob  him  of  his  prey 
The  wolf  is  fled,  the  wolf  is  dead,  ye  need  not  hunt  to-day. 

It  is  not  by  the  mountain-side,  it  is  not  in  the  fen : 

The  wildest 'beasts  enjoy  their  feasts  among  the  abodes  of 

men. 

There's  dungeon  foul  by  wolf  and  owl  inhabited  within 
Your  very  hearts.     Then  fire  your  darts,  and  raise  your 

hellish  din. 

The  tiger  there  track  to  his  lair,  and  take  him  by  the 

throat — 
He  howls  again,  he  wants  a  chain,  no  more  on  blood  to 

gloat ; 

The  hyena's  eye  is  glaring  nigh,  the  leopard  hath  his  lair, 
He  changeth  not  in  any  spot — go,  take  him  if  you  dare ! 

What  brings  you  here  ?   why  don't  you  fear  the  angry 

sounds  which  rise 
Within  the  domes  of  your  own  homes,  and  to  the  very 

skies  ? 

In  vain  the  flute,  in  vain  the  lute,  and  music  of  the  bird 
The  cursed  strife  that  mars  your  life  would  make  their 

sounds  unheard. 

Look  up,  ye  gallant  gentlemen !  my  voice  ye  will  not  heed, 
For  see !  your  prey  he  rides  away,  a  courser  of  true  speed. 
On,  Drak !  on,  Drag !  and  do  not  lag,  like  those  who  hunt 

to-day, 
They  leap  a  gulf  to  catch  a  wolf,  and  hear  a  wild  ass  bray ! 

It  was  with  a  bitter  and  sarcastic  spirit  that 
tlie  little  horseman  chanted  this,  making  it  as 


THE  DRAGON.  103 

he  went  along,  and  as  he  finished  the  last  stan- 
za, coming  down  to  the  tops  of  trees  to  let  the 
dragon  graze.  He  was  by  nature  a  good  schol- 
ar, and  had  he  been  sent  to  college  to  receive  a 
classical  education,  would  have  made  a  clever 
boy ;  but  being  a  foundling,  and  disowned,  he 
picked  up  knowledge  as  he  could,  but  his  whole 
life  was  spent  in  doing  mischief. 

Shortly  after  this,  the  master  of  the  house 
of  Gudnaim  received  an  anonymous  letter  in 
these  words : 

"  Let  me  warn  you  to  be  upon  your  guard,  for 
without  being  permitted  to  reveal  myself  or 
others,  I  have  ample  reasons  for  what  I  tell  you, 
that  there  is  a  plot  hatched  for  your  injury,  it 
may  be,  total  ruin.  The  conspirators  are  in 
this  neighborhood,  and  the  very  head  and  front 
of  the  offending  is  a  man  of  high  station,  but 
neither  his  rank  nor  riches  have  hitherto  gained 
him  the  respect  of  good  men.  Do  not,  I  be- 
seech you,  despise  this  message,  or  think  that  it 
is  written  by  one  who  would  be  amused  at  your 
expense.  The  most  unintermitted  vigilance 
will  alone  secure  safety  to  the  house  of  Gud- 
naim." 

When  the  baron  read  this  letter  it  fell  from 


104  SALANDER     AND 

his  hand.  He  "was  not  aware,  until  the  late  mis- 
fortune in  his  family,  that  he  had  an  enemy, 
having  done  nothing  to  excite  hatred.  In  the 
full  consciousness  of  his  innocence,  he  took  up 
the  letter  and  tore  it,  and  resolved  not  to  think 
of  it  again.  He  never  considered  those  worthy 
of  notice  who  could  not  act  above-board.  But 
although  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  pay  no  at- 
tention to  the  letter,  he  gathered  vague  informa- 
tion from  so  many  different  sources,  that  he  was 
compelled  to  think  that  some  terrible  disaster 
impended  his  house.  As  he  sat  brooding  over 
it,  a  servant  entered  and  told  him  that  a  lady 
would  speak  with  him,  and  he  desired  her  to  be 
shown  in.  A  middle-aged,  bustling  woman,  of 
masculine  figure,  forthwith  made  her  appear- 
ance, when  he  requested  her  to  be  seated,  and 
make  her  errand  known.  She  announced  her- 
self as  Madame  Rumor,  a  widow  of  universal 
reputation,  who  had  her  residence  in  a  province 
•called  Ubiquity.  "  My  lord,"  said  she,  "  you 
will  excuse  me  for  intruding.  My  motive  is 
good.  They  say  you  have  been  doing  something, 
although  I  don't  believe  it,  and  don't  know  what 
it  is,  and  they  say  that  somewhat  is  on  foot 
against  you — and  they  say — and  they  say — and 


THE    DRAGOX.  105 

they  say — a  great  many  things  which  time 
would  fail  to  tell."  And  here  she  was  out  of 
breath. 

Gudnaim  smiled  calmly.  "  Tell  those  who 
say,  and  who  say,  and  who  say,"  he  replied,  "to 
beware  of  what  they  say,  while  I,  good  woman, 
will  be  prepared  for  what  they  do ;"  and  with 
that  lie  politely  showed  her  the  way  out,  and  as 
she  bustled  out  of  the  hall,  swept  a  great  many 
things  down  with  her  garments  as  she  passed. 
Whither  she  went  he  could  not  tell,  for  the  next 
moment,  when  he  looked  after  her,  she  was  no- 
where to  be  seen. 

On  another  day,  as  he  came  from  weeping 
over  his  lady's  grave,  he  noticed  a  black  cloud 
resting  immovable  over  his  house.  The  rest 
of  the  sky  was  spotless,  and  deepl}r  blue. 
61  Alas  !"  said  he,  "  do  the  heavens  smile  every- 
where but  over  my  house  V  He  went  into  his 
library,  kneeled  down,  and  prayed,  for  he  was  a 
devout  man.  "  0  Lord  !  if  it  is  Thy  good  pleas- 
ure to  afflict  me,  give  me  grace  to  bear  with 
meekness  Thy  chastening  rod,  for  I  have  sinned 
and  done  evil  in  Thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son.  In  prosperity  I 
have  not  remembered  Thee  enough,  and  my 
5* 


106  SALANDER    AND 

heart  has  not  overflowed  with  gratitude  for  Thy 
mercies.  My  fortitude  has  not  been  exercised 
enough,  nor  has  my  patience  been  tested  by  ex- 
treme trial.  Whatever  shall  befall  me  in  Thy 
pleasure,  0  Thou  Most  Merciful,  for  the  saki 
of  Christ  make  me  patient,  and  humble,  and 
brave,  that  when  Thou  shalt  make  up  Thy 
jewels,  both  those  who  are  dear  to  me,  and  I, 
Thy  unworthy  servant,  may  not  be  found  want- 
ing in  one  of  Thy  many  crowns." 

When  he  had  said  this,  he  rose  from  his 
knees,  and  read  the  Word  of  God,  where  he 
lighted  upon  many  passages,  which  filled  his 
soul  Avith  resignation,  peace,  and  good-will  to- 
ward all  mankind. 

Can  it  be  possible  that  machinations  so  de- 
tested will  be  permitted  to  thrive  1  We  shal] 
see.  Do  we  not  read  in  Holy  Writ  that  whom 
the  Lord  loveth  He  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth 
every  son  whom  He  receiveth  1 

The  little  imp,  whose  biography  we  are  writ- 
ing, when  he  left  the  palace,  went  about  among 

his  relations.     He  had  a  brother,  Avhose  name 
? 

was  Malce,  one  of  that  brood  of  wicked  chil- 
dren belonging  to  Duke  d'Envy,  whom  he  also 
disclaimed,  but  no  one  could  fail  to  discover  the 


THE    DRAGON.  107 

likeness,  for  it  could  be  traced  in  every  linea- 
ment. Also,  he  had  another  brother,  named 
Maligne,  twinned  at  a  birth  with  Malce,  and 
you  could  scarcely  tell  them  apart.  Salander 
got  himself  cheek  by  jowl  with  these,  and  a 
riotous  time  they  had  of  it  over  the  stolen  bot- 
tles of  burgundy. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  Malce,  smacking 
his  lips,  during  one  of  their  midnight-  orgies, 
"  these  grapes  are  good." 

"  They're  better  than  the  duke's,"  said  Ma- 
ligne, taking  a  deep  quaff. 

"You  may  well  say  that,"  said  the  first, 
"  although  he  thinks  he  has  the  best  wine  in  the 
neighborhood.  This  is  old,  and  respect  is  due 
to  age." 

"  Good !"  said  Maligne,  laughing.  "  We  will 
repeat  the  imbibition.  'Tisn't  malmsey,  is  it1?" 

"  No ;  help  yourself,"  said  Salander.  "-Bur- 
gundy. Don't  you  know  the  difference,  you 
fool?" 

In  this  way  they  kept  on  tippling  until  the 
liquor  got  into  their  heads,  and  it  was  in  the 
heat  of  this  liquor,  and  by  the  promise  of  more 
of  it,  that  Salander  got  his  brothers  to  be  col- 
leagues in  his  plot.  They  forthwith  began  to 


108  SALANDER    AND 

beat  up  recruits  ;  and  you  may  judge  what  kind 
of  persons  they  must  have  been  to  lend  their 
sanction  to  a  Salander.  No  eye  ever  beheld 
such  scarecrows.  They  consisted  of  the  idle,  the 
profane,  and  the  debauched,  with  scarce  a  rag  on 
their  backs  ;  and  there  was  so  much  fighting  and 
pugilism  in  the  camp,  that  the  only  salvation 
for  any  of  them  was  to  bring  them  all  against  a 
common  foe.  The  only  thing  majestic  about 
them  was  their  numbers,  arid  the  noise  which 
they  made  got  to  be  so  considerable,  that  they 
dubbed  it  vox  populi,  and  from  that  moment 
they  rose  in  importance.  There  was  a  great 
deal  of  art  and  contrivance  necessary  to  bring 
them  into  any  thing  like  order.  Salander  was 
up  and  down  among  them  everywhere,  filling  up 
their  canteens  with  good  wine,  encouraging 
them,  scolding  them,  putting  them  under  guard 
for  contempt  of  rules,  thrashing  them,  shooting 
them  down  in  the  ranks.  "  Ragamuffins  ! — eyes 
right ! — silence  !"  He  was  feared,  loved,  hated, 
and  his  men,  who  had  nothing  to  lose,  and  much 
to  hope  from  the  spoils  of  the  alabaster  palace, 
were  at  last  brought  into  pretty  good  training 
for  volunteers.  When  his  preparations  were 
finally  complete,  and  all  the  good-for-nothing 


THE   DRAGON.  109 

fellows  in  the  country  had  come  in  to  swell  his 
ranks,  he  told  his  aid-de-camp,  Sneak,  to  go  to 
the  tent,  and  ask  his  secretary,  Durtiwork, 
whether  that  speech  was  ready  which  he  was  to 
deliver  to  the  men.  He  returned  with  the  docu- 
ment, and  the  general  having  perused  it  atten- 
tively, and  committed  it  to  heart,  drew  his 
sword,  mounted  his  dragon,  and  dashing  up  and 
down  before  the  front  rank,  reviewed  them,  ex- 
amined their  arms,  and  finally  addressed  them 
thus : 

"  You  ragamuffins,  are  you  ready  ?  There 
is  a  man  living  in  an  alabaster  palace  not  far 
from  here,  when  there  is  not  a  mother's  son  of 
you  who  has  got  a  shed  to  protect  him  from  the 
weather.  That  this  isn't  fair  play  must  be  evi- 
dent to  all  of  you,  and  your  own  fault  if  you 
don't  have  justice.  There  are  enough  of  you 
here,  in  all  conscience,  to  upset  Gudnaim;-but 
there  are  a  thousand  others  who  only  wait  to  see 
the  effects  of  your  courage.  The  moment  that 
is  shown  they  will  be  anxious  to  join  in  the  hue 
and  cry.  Quit  yourselves  like  men.  Malce, 
you  will  take  the  right  wing.  Maligne,  you  will 
keep  on  the  left.  General  Backbite's  division 
will  stay  near  me  as  a  reserved  guard.  Colonel 


110  SALANDER    AND 

Pique,  you  will  be  ready  with  your  sharp -shoot- 
ers to  commence  the  attack.  Messrs.  Hint  and 
Ineuendo,  you  will  set  yourselves  down  in  the 
poultry-yard  (laughter),  and  lay  in  food  for  the 
mess,  after  the  day's  work  is  done.  If  there 
are  any  cowards  here,  now  is  the  time  to  be 
drummed  out  of  the  ranks.  None  1  Then 
there  are  no  cowards.  Comrades,  the  time  has 
come!  Eyes  right !  Forward!  March!" 

On  they  went,  accoutered  as  they  were,  this 
disorderly  rabble,  helter-skelter,  head  over  heels, 
and  the  noise  which  they  made  was  like  the  buzz- 
ing of  a  great  swarm  of  locusts  over  the  land. 
All  said  who  heard  it,  "  That  is  Salander  and 
his  crew." 

What  the  leader  told  his  men  soon  turned 
out  to  be  true.  He  sometimes  spake  the  truth, 
supposing  it  at  the  time  to  be  a  lie.  The  house 
of  Gudnaim  was  one  of  particular  note,  and  from 
its  high  position  could  be  seen  for  leagues  around. 
Though  few  respectable  persons  would  venture  to 
tear  it  down,  if  the  melancholy  truth  must  be 
told,  many  could  secretly  rejoice  at  such  an 
idea.  Some  thought  that  its  architecture  was 
too  ornate,  and  did  not  like  its  Corinthian  capi- 
tals ;  some,  that  the  several  parts  of  which  it 


THE    DRAGON.  Ill 

was  made  up  did  not  contribute  to  harmony ; 
and  the  rest,  like  Duke  D'Envy,  that  it  over- 
shadowed their  own  inclosures.  Not  one  of 
these  had  courage  to  express  his  opinion  very 
decidedly  until  the  expedition  was  upon  the 
march.  Then  from  different  quarters  might  be 
heard  voices,  which  soon  met  together  in  a 
clamor. 

"  Halt !"  said  the  general,  suddenly ;  "  what 
is  that  ?" 

"  Nothing  but  a  waterfall  in  the  distance," 
exclaimed  Backbite. 

"  It  is  no  such  thing,"  replied  he. 

"  I  believe  it  is  the  wind  murmuring  through 
a  forest  of  pines,"  said  Maligne. 

"  Hark  !"  he  said  ;  "  silence  in  the  ranks, 
while  the  general  puts  his  ear  down."  He 
forthwith  threw  himself  upon  his  belly,  and  ris- 
ing up,  exclaimed,  "  It  is  the  tramp  of  men. 
Set  the  ranks  in  order.  In  less  than  ten  min- 
utes we  shall  join  battle."  With  that  he  gave 
some  hasty  commands,  and  his  aids  were  dash- 
ing about  the  field  to  put  the  troops  in  order, 
among  whom  consternation  was  clearly  visible. 
They  expected  to  assault  the  palace,  not  to  be 
attacked  so  soon.  In  a  few  minutes  the  sound 


112  SALANDER    AND 

of  martial  music  was  heard,  and  a  splendid  troop 
appeared  in  sight,  while  you  would  have  sup- 
posed that  salt  and  brandy  were  blazing  in  the 
faces  of  Salander's  men,  such  a  ghastly  pale- 
ness overspread  them  all.  What  was  their 
surprise,  when  about  to  turn  on  their  heels  and 
run  away,  to  see  a  horseman  come  bounding  to- 
ward them  with  a  white  flag,  white  as  their 
coward  faces,  and  it  appeared  that  this  respect- 
able troop  had  come  to  join  their  ranks.  This 
seasonable  arrival  filled  them  with  unspeakable 
joy ;  but  it  had  this  effect  on  their  future  desti- 
ny, that  they  were  obliged  to  get  drunk  on  com- 
mon grog,  as  Salander  reserved  the  burgundy 
for  the  respectable  men.  After  due  ceremonies, 
they  again  set  forth  on  the  march,  and  traveled 
for  about  a  league,  when  they  stopped  for  re- 
freshment at  the  house  of  a  gentleman  named 
LURKING  GRUDGE.  This  person,  who  had  been 
informed  of  their  object,  commended  it  very 
highly,  and  wished  them  every  success.  He 
gave  them  food  and  comfort,  and  detached  a 
dozen  of  his  own  domestics  to  aid  the  attempt ; 
after  which,  the  crew  gave  three  cheers  for 
Lurking  Grudge,  and  passed  on,  trampling  down 
his  corn  in  the  way.  The  general,  as  he  ad- 


THE    DRAGON.  113 

vanced,  was  himself  surprised  to  receive  encour- 
agement in  an  indirect  way  from  men  of  great 
respectability,  whom  he  never  would  have  sus- 
pected of  lending  encouragement  to  his  design. 
One  said,  "Well,  well,  if  so  and  so  is  the  case, 
I,  for  one,  sincerely  hope  that  the  expedition 
may  be  crowned  with  success."  Another  said, 
"  I  don't  know  about  this  matter,  but  I  will 
wait  and  see.  The  end  will  prove."  At  any 
rate,  no  one  molested  him  by  the  way,  and  no 
public  officer  came  to  take  him  by  the  throat, 
for  at  this  stage,  had  justice  only  waved  her 
wand,  the  rabble  would  have  been  dispersed. 
But  the  ministers  of  justice  are  often  unworthy ; 
and  although  Salander  at  first  knew  in  his  own 
heart  that  his  scheme  was  devilish,  yet  from  this 
conduct  of  others  he  began  presently  to  think 
that  it  was  sacred,  and  himself  a  hero,  in  dan- 
ger of  being  a  martyr.  From  this  time  the 
more  virulent  and  impertinent  he  became.  He 
paid  more  attention  to  outward  looks ;  he  wore 
a  long  cue  behind  his  back,  and  the  sleekness 
of  an  arch  hypocrite,  like  the  oil  of  sanctimony, 
anointed  his  whole  face.  He  appointed  himself 
chaplain  to  the  regiment,  a.nd  read  prayers  in 
the  camp.  As  he  assumed  piety,  his  ragamuf- 


114  SALANDER    AND 

fins  rose  to  the  dignity  of  knight-crrants,  and 
called  their  leader  Saladdin.  As  they  continued 
to  advance,  a  messenger  came  running  breath- 
less to  the  alabaster  palace,  crying  out,  "  Oh, 
my  dear  lord,  the  vassals  of  the  Duke  d'Envy 
are  in  full  march,  and  will  soon  be  at  your 
door  !" 

"  Pooh  !"  said  he  ;  "I  can  scarcely  credit 
what  you  say." 

"  Oh,  my  lord,  it  is  true,  it  is  true  !" 

"  Then  we  will  try  and  be  ready,  if  that  is 
so,  my  friend.  Barbara,  go  up  into  the  tower, 
and  tell  me  if  you  see  any  thing." 

The  girl  went  up,  and  returning,  said  that 
she  saw  nothing. 

"  Go  up  again,"  said  her  master,  "  and  look 
in  every  direction." 

Barbara  came  back,  and  said  that  she  saw  a 
cloud  of  dust  in  the  distance. 

"Go  up  once  more,"  said  he. 

She  returned,  with  a  face  as  pale  as  ashes. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  lord,  there  is  surely  an  army 
upon  the  march.  You  can  see  their  banners 
waving,  and  spears  glittering  in  the  sunbeams, 
and  hear  the  tramp  of  hoofs,  and  martial 
music." 


THE  DRAGON.  115 

"  Good  !"  said  the  lord  of  the  mansion.  "  Fi- 
delio,  sound  a  trumpet.  Call  out  the  tenants. 
Throw  a  guard  into  the  lodge.  Man  the  balco- 
nies. Set  a  watch  on  the  tower.  Let  us  see 
if  we  can  teach  these  varlets  a  lesson  that  they 
may  remember.  This  place  is  impregnable." 

Scarcely  was  this  command  given  when  there 
came  pouring  in  the  domestics  and  retainers  of 
every  description,  each  one  in  the  height  of  his 
loyalty  ready  to  lay  down  his  life  for  his  lord. 
They  ciine  armed  with  the  bow,  the  cross-bow,, 
the  arquebuse,  and  the  javelin ;  some  with  buck- 
lers, and  some  without,  for  haste  hardly  allowed 
armor,  much  less  the  choice  of  it.  They  met 
the  steward  in  the  hall,  who  told  them  that  an 
enemy  was  at  hand,  to  fight,  and  die,  if  need  ber 
and  he  apportioned  them  severally  on  the  roof, 
at  the  gateway,  at  the  casements,  on  the  balcOr 
ny,  and  in  the  lawn,  while  Wurthi  sat  calmly  in 
his  library,  appending  a  codicil  to  his  will : 

"  And  I  also,  at  this  time  being  of  sound 
mind,  after  the  sums  given  to  my  faithful  serv- 
ants, do  hereby  bequeath  to  the  poor  of  the  par- 
ish, so  and  so. 

"  To  the  Old  Maud,  once  a  faithful  and  be- 
loved nurse  in  my  family,  the  cottage  where  she 


116  SALANDER    AND 

now  resides,  and  thirty  pounds  per  annum  dur- 
ing her  life. 

"  To  the  Duke  d'Envy,  my  blessing.  May 
the  Lord  be  merciful  to  him."  He  also  indited 
the  following  letter  to  an  old  friend,  and  this 
correspondence  is  worthy  of  particular  attention 
in  the  history  of  the  house  of  Gudnaim.  There 
was  a  noble  living  not  far  off,  whom  he  had  be- 
friended in  great  tribulation.  When  the  house 
and  barns  of  this  man  were  burned  down,  and  all 
the  crops  of  a  year  destroyed,  his  place  being 
heavily  mortgaged,  he  was  threatened  to  be 
overwhelmed  with  ruin.  There  being  none  to 
help,  Wurthi  sent  all  his  domestics  to  a  man  to 
clear  out  the  ruins  ;  he  provided  him  with  tim- 
ber from  his  own  woods,  turned  out  his  farmer 
to  give  the  nobleman  and  his  wife  place,  sent 
him  every  week  a  lamb  or  a  haunch  of  venison, 
and  provided  him  day  by  day  from  his  own  lard- 
er, and  when  the  same  person  was  taken  ill  in 
consequence  of  his  troubles,  watched  over  him 
like  a  brother.  The  very  next  year  health  and 
prosperity  smiled  again,  his  house  was  rebuilt, 
and  he  came  suddenly  into  possession  of  great 
wealth.  Now  this  was  the  letter  which  Gud- 
naim wrote : 


THE  DRAGON.  117 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  :  I  am  suddenly  attacked 
by  the  vassals  of  Duke  d'Envy,  whom  I  have 
never  injured.  His  forces  outnumber  mine  by 
three  to  one.  Will  you  send  over  a  few  serv- 
ants to  relieve  me  in  my  extremity  ? 
"  Your  old  friend, 

"  GUDNAIM." 

To  this,  dispatched  by  a  swift  messenger,  the 
following  answer  was  returned,  after  the  fight 
was  joined : 

"  SIR  :  I  regret  that  my  men  are  now  employed 
in  the  harvest,  and  our  crops  must  be  gathered 
in  before  night.  At  any  other  time  you  should 
be  welcome  to  their  assistance." 

Gudnaim  smiled  an  ineffable  smile  as  he  read  - 
this,  standing  on  the  balcony,  in  the  midst  of 
his  true  men,  and  almost  at  the  moment,  ant 
archer,  by  the  name  of  Ingrat,  who  had  singled 
him  out  by  his  commanding  figure,  let  fly  an 
arrow,  which  wounded  him  under  the  fifth  rib, 
and  he  was  carried  off.    Nevertheless,  he  kept  up 
good  courage,  and  cheered  the  men.     "  We  have 
troops  of  friends,"   said  he,  "  who  will  surely 


118  SALANDER    AND 

be  on  the  ground  when  the  sound  of  the  battle 
reaches  them.  They  will  not  permit  me  to  be 
worsted  by  the  crew  of  this  miserable  wretch. 
The  Fairweather  Guard,  who  have  always  been 
so  devoted  to  me,  and  who  are  always  with  me 
when  the  vintage  comes  in,  will  be  here  before 
noon.  Now  that  I  am  in  trouble,  they  will  not 
act  like  Old  Friend ;  they  will  vie  with  one  an- 
other, and  be  jealous  of  every  laurel  which  is 
won  on  this  day.  Fight  on,  my  braves.  Let  not 
my  absence  deter  you.  Defense  is  a  sacred 
right,  though  your  arrows  pierce  the  heart." 

The  enemy  were  now  in  full  blast  before  the 
palace,  yelling  like  demons.  They  had  this 
disadvantage,  that  they  could  not  attack  from  a 
higher  point,  and  must  be  content  to  take  their 
position  on  the  low  ground.  Nevertheless,  at 
it  they  went  with  all  the  art  of  warfare  which 
they  knew.  Blows  rang  on  shield  and  helmet ; 
the  sun  was  darkened  by  spears  and  arrows; 
and  every  now  and  then  plumes  and  banners 
fell  down  in  the  dust.  They  soon  broke  through 
the  outworks,  carried  the  lodge,  scaled  the 
chevaux  de  frise,  and,  oh  sad !  prepared  to  in- 
trude into  the  sacred  domicil  of  that  good  man. 
Be  it  observed,  that  the  house  was  not  castel- 


THE  DRAGON.  119 

lated ;  it  was  not  one  of  those  buildings  pur- 
posely designed  either  to  meet  or  to  provoke  at- 
tack, but  stood  in  a  peaceful  territory,  which  its 
owner  did  not  seek  to  enlarge,  and  of  which  he 
did  not  expect  to  be  deprived,  for  it  was  his  by 
the  prescription  of  ages — in  his  family  so  long 
that  the  memory  of  man  ran  not  to  the  con- 
trary. It  was  a  palace,  an  alabaster  palace,  not 
a  fortress,  only  so  far  as  the  house  of  every  good 
man  is  his  castle,  and  innocence  is  already  arm- 
ed. Many  places  like  it  have  been  doomed  to 
fall  when  besieged  by  such  weapons  as  those 
used  by  Salander,  for  he  had  loads  of  arrows 
from  the  arsenals  of  D'Envy,  poisoned  in  the 
gall  of  bitterness.  It  had  neither  moat,  draw- 
bridge, portcullis,  buttresses,  battlements,  dun- 
geons, engines,  nor  munitions  of  war. 

The  battle  was  interesting,  and  all  the  neigh- 
boring prominences  and  house-tops  were  filled 
with  those  eager  to  view  the  spectacle.  There, 
flashing  in  the  sunbeams,  stood  the  palace,  port- 
als, and  balconies,  and  roof  and  tower  manned 
with  faithful  servants,  bending  the  bow  in  the 
good  cause,  and  as  one  was  shot  down  another 
stepped  in  to  fill  the  breach.  Oh !  that  cursed 
Ingrat  is  doing  terrible  execution,  for  his  eye  is 


120  SALANDER    AXD 

so  accurate  that  he  seldom  misses  his  aim. 
There,  among  the  adversaries,  might  be  seen 
the  strange  figure  of  Salander  on  his  dragon, 
lashing  him  up  and  down  among  the  ranks,  till 
he  was  covered  from  wing  to  wing  with  a  white 
foam,  and  the  reeling  ranks  of  knight-er- 
rants,  or  ragamuffins,  just  as  you  please  to  call 
them. 

Hard  by  in  a  cottage  lay  the  stricken  gentle- 
man, the  lord  of  the  manor,  his  wound  dressed 
by  the  h  \nd  of  tender  love,  and  sipping  a  sweet 
cordial  called  GOOD  CONSCIENCE. 

"  How  goes  the  battle,  Fidelio  ?"  said  he ; 
"  does  the  enemy  waver1?  Speak  the  truth." 

"  Oh,  my  lord,"  replied  the  other,  "  the  Fair- 
weather  Guard  has  joined  the  ranks  of  assail- 
ants." 

"  That  is  not  astonishing,"  says  he.  "  Is 
there  any  more  news  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes.  Old  Friend,  my  dear,  dear  mas- 
ter, Old  Friend  has  proved  false." 

"  Pooh !  pooh !  that  is  nothing.  That  is  only 
the  way  of  the  world,"  says  he,  laughing. 

"  My  lord,  they  employ  weapons  to  which  we 
are  not  accustomed  in  fair  warfare.  Their  ar- 
rows are  poisoned ;  they  are  of  brass,  covered 


THE    DRAGON.  121 

with  verdigris.  They  have  offered  a  premium 
on  vipers.  Our  men  die  immediately." 

"  Never  mind,"  says  Gudnaim ;  "  do  not  em- 
ploy the  same  in  return.  Go  out  and  do  your 
duty." 

When  the  sun  shone  in  meridian  splendor, 
the  chances  of  the  day  appeared  equal.  Gud- 
naim had  no  advantage  of  Salander,  nor  Salan- 
der  of  Gudnaim.  When  the  sun  began  to  de- 
cline, and  no  progress  was  made,  the  enemy 
hold  a  council  of  war. 

"I,"  said  Pique,  "  shall  he  out  of  arrows 
pretty  soon — that's  certain." 

"I,"  said  Malce,  "have  got  the  jaundice, 
and  must  go  home  and  to  bed,  if  you  do  not 
hurry  this  business  through." 

"  I,"  said  Backbite,  "  have  done  all  I  could 
in  my  way." 

"  Hold  your  tongues !"  said  Salander ;  "  you're 
all  of  you  fit  for  underground  work,  and  not  for 
open  fields  or  active  service.  You're  fit  to  tip- 
ple, lie,  steal,  and  swear.  Back  to  your  ranks, 
ye  minions !" 

And  back  they  went,  for  he  had  drawn  his 
sword,  arid  the  next  moment  would  have  stabbed 
some  of  them  through  the  bowels.  He  now 
6 


122  SALANDER ' AND 

gave  orders  to  the  sappers  and  miners  to  find 
their  way  into  the  cellar,  who  were  prevailed  on 
to  obey  his  order  by  the  suasion  of  a  company 
of  archers,  who  were  directed  to  aim  at  their 
rear,  to  pull  the  arrows  up  to  the  barb,  and  be 
ready  to  let  fly  the  moment  they  showed  a  dis- 
position to  back  out.  This  useful  corps  accom- 
plished their  object.  They  laid  bare  the  props, 
fastened  their  ropes,  and,  in  spite  of  opposition, 
carried  them  out  among  the  assailing  ranks. 
Then  they  all  laid  hold  with  a  hearty  good-will, 
with  a  cry  of  A-E-I-0-0  !  blending  their  dis- 
cordant voices  in  a  chorus,  which  re-echoed  from 
the  hills.  On  the  commanding  prominences 
every  neck  was  stretched ;  and  as  when  a  gi- 
gantic tree  of  the  forest,  which  the  axe  of  the 
woodman  has  prepared  for  felling,  is  ready  to  be 
prostrated  with  all  its  crown  of  glory,  the  mul- 
titudes stand  afar  off,  and  breathless  await  the 
fall ;  so  now  they  gazed,  only  with  more  eager 
eyes.  The  ropes  were  stretched  to  their  utmost 
tension ;  presently  the  walls  cracked  from  base 
to  dome,  as  when  the  ice  on  the  Montalvan 
Lake  parts  in  a  wide  fissure  ;  and  amidst  a  yell 
of  triumph,  and  a  crash  which  could  be  heard 
for  leagues  around,  the  delight  of  all  eyes,  the 


THE  DRAGON.  123 

palace,  the  alabaster  palace,  toppled  and  fell. 
0  it  was  a  sight  which  made  the  eyes  of  many 
wet  with  tears  !  The  respectable  troop  turned 
away  in  silence,  and  the  Fairweatlier  Guard, 
when  the  deed  was  done,  put  their  hands  before 
their  faces  in  shame.  Many  were  killed  in  the 
fall  of  the  house,  and  Barbara,  the  maid-serv- 
ant, was  crushed  to  death.  The  eyes  of  Salan- 
der's  dragon  were  red  as  flame.  "  He  wants 
drink,"  said  he,  and  with  that  he  led  him  to  a 
pool  of  blood. 

I  have  now  told  in  a  few  words  the  history  of 
that  unfortunate  house,  but  must  not  forget  to 
mention  that  shortly  after  the  Duke  d'Envy  had 
the  extraordinary  effrontery  to  dispatch  the  fol- 
lowing missive  to  the  baron,  as  he  lay  writhing 
under  his  wound : 

"  MY  DEAR  LORD  :  I  have  heard  of  your  mis- 
fortunes with  regret,  and,  could  I  have  foreseen, 
would  have  lent  my  assistance  to  prevent  them. 
You  will  not  consider  me  lukewarm  on  this  oc- 
casion, but  call  on  me  for  what  you  require. 
Make  my  house  your  home. 

(Signed)  "  D'ENVY." 


124  SALANDER    AND 

Wurthi  received  this  message,  and  having 
read  it  attentively,  immediately  said,  "  Fidelio, 
go  out  and  pluck  me  a  gray  goose  quill,  and  nib 
it  to  a  sharp  point,  that  I  may  give  this  gentle- 
man a  stroke  of  penmanship  before  I  die." 
Then  he  sat  down,  and  hi  a  hand  which  yet  fal- 
tered not  wrote : 

"  SIR  :  It  must  be  only  after  many  defeats, 
like  that  of  to-day,  that  Gudnaim  will  consent 
to  take  up  his  quarters  with  D'Envy.  I  marvel 
less  at  your  malignity  than  at  your  impudence, 
and  at  your  curse  than  at  your  blessing.  Such 
as  they  are,  however,  I  consider  your  curse 
preferable.  Come  and  look  at  the  ruins  of  my 
house,  effected  by  your  Salander,  and  let  me  tell 
you  that  I  would  rather  dwell  among  my  ruins 
than  amidst  your  splendor.  For  rest  assured 
that  long  after  I,  who  forgive  you  from  my  in- 
most heart,  shall  moulder  into  dust,  the  Lord 
will  visit  you  with  vengeance. 

(Signed)  "  GUDNAIM." 

Shortly  after  this  his  mind  seemed  to  wander, 
and  his  friends  gathered  around  his  bedside  with 
tears.  He  had  often  said  that  he  lost  all  if  he 


ui<: 


. 


THE    DRAGON.  127 

lost  Gudnaim.  Nevertheless,  a  smile  overspread 
his  features,  as  if  occasioned  by  a  pleasant  dream, 
and  from  the  disjointed  expressions  which  escaped 
his  lips,  the  dream  was  this.  Beyond  the  dark, 
dark  waste  of  waters,  which  divides  eternity  from 
time,  he  saw  the  light  breaking,  like  the  rosy- 
fingered  day,  when  the  sun  comes  up  out  of  the 
east ;  and  far  beyond,  upon  the  other  shore,  "  a 
house  of  many  mansions,"  more  beautiful  than 
the  alabastet  palace  which  he  mourned ;  while 
above  the  swelling  flood  he  beheld  an  angel,  in 
the  image  of  his  dear  Stella,  and,  beckoning  to 
him  with  an  air  of  triumph,  she  held  up,  all 
flashing  in  the  light,  the  LOST  JEWEL. 


SALANDER  AND  THE  DRAGON, 


BOOK   III. 

A  NIGHT  of  exceeding  gloom  had  gathered 
around  the  Hartz  Castle.  Mephitic  vapors,  a 
dense  white  fog,  through  which  the  moon  shone 
dimly,  crawled  from  the  low  marshes  and  coiled 
about  it ;  and  when  the  moon,  which  had  been 
visible  during  the  day,  hastened  to  withdraw  her 
pale  face  below  the  horizon's  edge,  neither  the 
earth  nor  the  heavens  reflected  light,  and  you  could 
not  see  as  far  as  one  could  cast  a  stone.  At 
times  the  thunder  rolled,  and  keen  flashes  clove 
the  darkness,  seeming  to  melt  the  very  panes. 
The  jailer  was  afraid  to  look  without  and  afraid 
to  look  within,  for  he  heard,  or  thought  he  heard, 
a  mysterious  voice,  crying,  "  Examine,  examine  ; 
look  to  the  vaults !"  He  dared  not  examine, 
for  an  awe  crept  over  him,  because  there  was  a 
graveyard  within  the  prison,  and  the  ghost  of 
6* 


130  SALANDER    AND 

Evelthots,  buried  there  for  long  years,  some- 
times came  up,  and  oppressed  him.-  Things  of 
this  kind  he  tried  to  shake  off,  for  he  used  to  be 
called  a  man  of  nerve,  but  such  he  was  no 
longer ;  so  when  the  clock  tolled  midnight  he  was 
glad  of  an  excuse  ;  he  covered  up  the  embers, 
and  went  moodily  to  bed.  But  no  sleep  closed 
his  eyes.  He  tossed  about  for  hours,  and  longed 
for  the  cock-crowing,  and  the  familiar  sounds 
which  denote  the  coming  day.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  day  would  never  dawn. 

"  Oh,  my  God  !"  he  at  last  exclaimed,  groan- 
ing heavily. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you?"  said  Pry- 
int.  But  no  answer  was  returned,  except  an- 
other groan.  She  arose  alarmed,  stirred  up  the 
embers,  and  lighted  a  wax  taper.  Looking  at 
him,  she  perceived  that  his  brow  was  covered 
with  cold  drops,  and  he  moaned  convulsively. 

"  What  ails  you,  Goodman  1  Why  will  you 
not  speak  1  Are  you  ill  ?" 

"  No,"  said  he,  in  a  hushed  whisper  ;  "  not 
ill,  I  am  afraid — afraid." 

"You  are  full  of  fears,"  his  wife  replied, 
"  and  becoming  old  and  childish.  Wherefore 
fear  7" 


THE  DRAGON.  131 

"  Wife,"  said  lie,  "  something,  I  know  not 
what,  informs  me  that  Conscienza  is  waking  up. 
I  know  it ;  I  know  it.  Often  I  have  the  same 
feeling  concerning  those  absent  or  distant. 
Don't  you  rememher  that  I  saw  Barliff  stand 
before  me  at  table,  although  he  had  sailed  be- 
yond the  seas,  and  afterward  we  learned  that  on 
that  very  day,  in  Bermoothes,  he  had  died1? 
Hark  !  Hark  !  What's  that  V 

11  Nothing  but  the  shutter." 

"  Ha !  say  you  so  ?  There  it  comes  again. 
I  know  that"  sound  too  well.  It  is  one  of  his 
messengers." 

"  He  is  asleep  for  a  year,"  said  she,  "  and 
the  time  is  not  up.  Put  your  head  under  the 
pillows  and  you  won't  hear  it.1" 

"  There  it  is."  Tap-tap-tap  !  She  herself 
could  not  deny  that  she  heard  it,  and  knew  what 
it  meant. 

"  Let  us  pretend,"  said  she,  "  that  we  don't 
hear  it.  I,  for  my  part,  am  determined  that  I 
will  not." 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  you  must.  You  must. 
You  can  not  help  it." 

As  he  spake,  knockings  began,  violent,  reiter- 
ated, coming  from  all  quarters,  and  appearing 


132  SALANDER    AND 

to  be  supra-inortal.  With  that  energy  which 
distinguished  her,  causing  her  thus  far  in  all 
disputes  with  her  lord  to  be  esteemed,  in  com- 
mon phrase,  the  "  better  of  the  two,"  she  at 
once  arose  and  began  to  search  diligently  in  the 
drawers.  By  and  by  she  drew  forth  a  boll  of 
cotton,  and  stuffed  it  in  her  husband's  ears, 
likewise  in  her  own.  It  was  of  no  avail.  They 
might  as  well  have  tried  to  exclude  lightning 
with  a  vail  of  gauze,  or  thunder  with  a  piece  of 
rolled  cobweb ;  and  they  passed  a  miserable 
night.  When  the  day  dawned,  they  Avandered 
about  the  prison  forlorn,  and  looked  into  the  va- 
cant cell  of  Salander.  As  much  trouble  as  it 
had  been  to  keep  him,  it  was  nothing  to  what 
they  suffered  since  they  let  him  go.  At  last 
this  uneasy  feeling  did  so  prevail  that  they 
could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  they  resolved  to 
meet  this  Conscienza  face  to  face ;  for  they 
knew  that  they  must  do  it  at  some  time,  and  the 
quicker  the  better.  It  was  indeed  true  that  the 
sorceress  had  been  able  to  lull  him  but  for  a 
little  season,  for  he  was  by  nature  too  powerful 
and  active  for  any  potion.  It  was  in  a  solemn 
frame,  and  with  much  trembling  and  emotion, 
that  they  approached  the  inner  chamber,  the 


THE  DRAGON.  133 

throne-room  where  he  reposed.  Their  faces 
were  haggard  and  their  knees  trembled. 

"  Hush,"  they  said,  "  one  moment,  before  we 
look  in  ;  let  us  reflect.  What  shall  we  do  1 
What  shall  we-say  ?  In  the  first  place  we  must 
try  to  prolong  this  sleep ;  if  that  be  impossible, 
then  we  must  endeavor  to  appease  our  lord  Avith 
some  sufficient  reasons  for  our  conduct,  but  oh,  it 
is  to  be  feared  that  he  will  not  listen,  he  will  not 
listen  ;"  and  they  wrung  their  hands.  Long 
and  anxiously  they  paused,  and  were  most  un- 
willing to  come  to  the  examination,  and  several 
times  would  have  turned  upon  their  footsteps, 
but  a  magnetic  power  bound  them  to  the  spot. 
The  same  power  nerved  their  arm,  and  forced 
them  to  proceed  ;  and  in  that  gloomy  chamber, 
from  which  the  light  of  heaven  had  been  studi- 
ously shut,  they  drew  the  black  and  rustling 
curtains,  and  beheld  their  lord's  majestic  figure, 
composed  as  if  in  death. 

"  It  is  well,"  whispered  Pryint ;  "  the  potion 
yet  binds  him.  Let  us  go  hence,  for  fear  that 
he  may  be  disturbed." 

Goodman  squeezed  her  hand.  "  Hush  !  he 
moves !  he  moves  !"  and  as  he  spoke,  there  was 
a  trembling  of  the  lids,  and  that  clear,  round 


134  SALANDER    AND 

eye,  purged  of  its  film,  opened  upon  them  with 
a  renewed  luster,  and  riveted  them  upon  the 
very  spot.  They  seized  the  potion  in  alarm, 
and  tried  to  apply  it  once  more.  It  was  of  no 
avail.  He  arose  in  the  greatness  of  his  power 
and  his  strength  like  a  giant  refreshed,  snapped 
the  cords  which  bound  him  like  a  gossamer's 
film,  and  casting  sleep  aside,  with  an  eye  clear 
as  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  pierced  into  the  deep- 
est dungeon  of  their  hearts.  Then  seizing  his 
scepter,  he  leaped  to  the  throne  of  sovereignty, 
and  motioned  them  to  stand  before  him.  They 
could  not  look  at  him ;  their  orbs  fell  to  the 
earth  like  balls  of  lead. 

"  What  is  this  that  you  have  done,"  he  said, 
sternly,  "  or  attempted  to  do  1  You  have  rebelled 
against  a  firm  and  just  government,  which  would 
have  made  you  happy.  Have  you  thought  to 
bind  me  ?  You  could  not  do  it  with  chains  and 
fetters  of  iron.  I  am  immortal,  and  because  I 
have  slept  awhile,  I  have  woke  up  only  to  chas- 
tise and  punish  you." 

Goodman  and  his  wife  fell  down  and  clasped 
their  lord's  knees  to  implore  mercy. 

"  Rise  up,"  he  said ;  "  it  is  too  late."  Then 
commenced  a  series  of  questions  and  rejoinders, 


THE  DRAGON.  135 

carried  on  rather  by  mutual  flashing  glances 
than  by  word  of  mouth,  and  this  is  the  sum  of 
them  : 

CONSCIENZA.  I  gave  you  the  keys  of  the 
Hartz  Prison  to  guard  the  issues  of  it,  and  you 
have  not  done  so. 

GOODMAN  (with  his  hands  crossed  upon  his 
breast}.  Mea  culpa !  mea  culpa !  mea  maxima 
culpa  ! 

CONSCIENZA.  You  have  become  depraved  in 
conduct.  You  have  listened  to  other  monitors 
than  my  voice,  who  were  too  wicked  to  advise 
you  rightly.  You  have  let  the  prisoner  go  free, 
against  express  command,  and  in  violation  of  duty. 

GOODMAN  and  PRYINT.  We  strove  to  keep 
him,  but  his  presence  troubled  us.  He  knocked 
at  the  bars  continually,  and  he  disturbed  the 
peace  and  quiet  of  Hartz.  He  solicited  us  for 
freedom,  and  at  last  it  was  found  out  that  we 
had  something  wonderful,  and  we  were  impor- 
tuned from  all  quarters. 

CONSCIENZA.  How  was  it  found  out  1 

PRYINT.  Yes,  my  lord,  it  was  found  out,  it 
was  found  out. 

CONSCIENZA.  And  wherefore  were  you  pre- 
vailed upon  to  discharge  him  1 


136  SALANDER    AND 

GOODMAN  and  PRYINT.  Oh,  there  was  such 
a  universal  interest  and  desire  to  behold  him, 
that  at  last,  from  the  curiosity  which  we  had 
the  power  to  gratify,  and  because  it  was  discov- 
ered that  he  was  monstrous,  and  we  feared  lest 
he  should  be  regarded  as  our  own  child,  we  fairly 
burned  to  let  him  go,  and  when  we  could  not 
for  the  life  of  us  retain  him  longer,  he  escaped 
from  the  end  of  Tungland. 

CONSCIENZA.  Dangerous  promontory,  on 
which  so  many  have  been  wrecked !  In  escap- 
ing he  has  done  mischief. 

GOODMAN  and  PRYINT.  Oh,  we  never  dream- 
ed that  one  so  small  and  pitiful  as  he  could  in- 
jure any.  We  are  very  sorry,  and  would  not 
for  the  world  have  done  it,  had  AVC  thought  of 
this.  He  promised  us  most  strictly  to  keep  out 
of  this  dominion,  and  that  his  whole  desire  was 
to  turn  the  heathen,  and  be  the  instrument  of 
doing  good. 

CONSCIENZA.  Hypocrite  that  he  is  !  Are  you 
to  be  the  judge  of  what  is  small  or  pitiful  7  He 
has  assembled  an  army.  He  "  promised"  also ; 
and  did  not  you?  If  you  have  broken  your 
promise,  why  not  he  his  1  If  he  has  turned  the 
heathen,  he  has  also  destroyed  the  good. 


THE    DRAGON. 


13T 


GOODMAN.  Alas  !     Alas  ! 

CONSCIENZA.  The  safety  of  families  ar.d  of 
neighborhoods,  nay,  even  of  the  state,  depends 
on  keeping  such  characters  in  durance.  But 
the  fiend  committed  to  you  is  now  at  large. 
Whether  the  task  assigned  to  you  be  impossible 
or  not,  you  will  discover.  You  must  go  forth 
and  recapture  him  if  you  can,  in  order  that  he 
may  not  go"  about  the  world,  and  do  more  mis- 
chief every  day.  When  you  have  caught  him, 
bind  him  hand  and  foot,  put  him  in  irons,  and 
report  yourself  forthwith.  Go,  and  if  your 
errand  is  unsuccessful,  then  your  punishment  is 
sure. 

The  jailer  bowed,  and  he  and  his  wife 
breathed  more  freely,  because  they  were  ena- 
bled to  retire  a  little  from  the  presence  of  Con- 
scienza,  to  do  his  bidding.  But  what  a  difficult 
errand !  Whither  should  he  go,  and  of  whom 
should  he  inquire  ?  He  might  wander  over  the 
whole  world,  and  never  meet  Avith  the  little  man 
any  more.  Besides,  what  could  he  do  in  pursuit 
of  one  who  rode  upon  a  dragon  and  betook  him- 
self to  the  air  1  In  reflecting  upon  this  he  be- 
came very  melancholy,  and  wore  a  most  rueful 
expression,  so  that  his  neighbors  observed  it,  and 


138  SALANDER    AND 

said  one  to  the  other,  "  What  makes  Goodman 
look  so?  He  is  much  changed  of  late."  Oth- 
ers replied,  "  He  is,  no  doubt,  smarting  under 
the  lash  of  Conscienza,  and  we  suspect  that  he 
deserves  it."  Men  are  very  good  judges  of 
what  does  not  concern  themselves  ;  but  "  Oh," 
as  one  in  Scotia  has  expressed  it,  "  wad  some 
power  the  giftie  gie  us,  to  see  oursels  as  ithers 
see  us !" 

Nevertheless,  the  jailer,  who  was  convicted 
of  his  fault,  was  at  last  determined  to  do  his 
duty.  He  girded  his  loins,  and  with  his  staff  in 
his  hand,  and  his  knapsack  on  his  back,  went 
forth  on  the  dusty  thoroughfares,  and  at  every 
house  to  which  he  came  he  inquired,  "  Good 
people,  have  you  seen  a  little  deformed  creature 
come  this  way,  whose  name  is  Salander  1  He  is 
a  prisoner  escaped  from  my  custody,  and  I  am 
sent  to  overtake  him  by  my  Lord  of  Conscien- 
za." Strange  to  say,  he  did  not  stop  at  a  single 
house  where  the  culprit  had  not  been.  "Yes," 
they  replied,  "  we  have  all  seen  him,  but  he  is 
off.  He  was  very  talkative,  his  eyes  glistened, 
he  opened  his  budget,  and  he  told  us  all  things 
whichever  we  did ;  but  we  can  not  tell  you 
whither  he  has  gone,  for  he  went  in  a  great  hur- 


THE    DRAGON.  139 

ry."  In  short,  after  a  wearisome  journey,  his 
search  was  vain.  Everywhere  he  discovered 
traces  of  the  culprit  in  the  evil  which  he  had 
done ;  and  once  he  made  his  appearance,  and 
stared  him  steadily  in  the  face,  but  he  was  off 
like  a  flash,  and  catch  him  he  could  not.  It 
became  manifest  that  he  was  one  of  those  spir- 
its who,  if  they  have  tasted  the  breath  of  lib- 
erty, can  never  be  restricted  again.  He  was 
compelled  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  being  re- 
manded into  the  presence  of  his  lord,  was  se- 
verely questioned. 

"  Have  you  brought  back  the  offender  ?  Is 
he  secured  in  irons?  Is  he  deposited  in  the 
deepest,  darkest  cell  of  the  prison?  I  see  by 
your  looks  that  he  is  not." 

"  Oh,  my  lord,"  said  the  jailer,  "  I  fear  that 
it  is  a  thing  impossible.  I  solemnly  declare 
that  I  have  not  been  wanting  in-  duty,  but  have 
searched  diligently.  I  have  traced  him  every- 
where, but  he  can  be  arrested  nowhere." 

"  That  was  to  be  expected,"  was  the  re- 
sponse ;  "  you  might  as  well  recapture  the 
smoke  that  has  burst  out  of  the  bosom  of  the 
flame  and  is  metamorphosed  among  the  hues  of 
the  changing  cloud,  or  any  thing  else  which  is 


140  SALANDER   AND 

most  fleeting,  most  volatile.  Nevertheless,  you 
are  approved,  in  that  you  made  the  attempt. 
You  are  aware  now  that  you  have  released  one 
who  can  not  be  recaught.  When  you  are  idle, 
he  is  not ;  when  you  are  asleep,  he  is  vigilant ; 
while  you  strive  to  cure  his  mischief,  he  is  en- 
gaged at  more.  Oh,  the  task  is  hopeless  !  Good- 
man, what  have  you  done?" 

'A  deep  sigh  escaped  from  the  jailer's  bo- 
som. 

"  But,"  proceeded  his  master,  "although  you 
must  suffer,  proceed  to  do  your  duty,  and  inas- 
much as  you  can  not  retake  the  fugitive,  you 
must  set  yourself  at  work  to  repair  the  damage 
which  he  is  known  to  have  done." 

Goodman  folded  his  arms  on  his  breast,  bow- 
ed his  head,  and  said  that  he  would  most  sin- 
cerely try. 

"  Proceed, "  rejoined  Conscienza,  sternly. 
"  When  Salander  escaped  at  the  point  of  Tung- 
land,  he  went  and  robbed  a  lady  of  a  most 
precious  jewel.  Neither  Golconda,  nor  the  Ural 
Mountains,  nor  all  the  mines  of  the  world,  nor 
any  queenly  casket,  could  supply  another  like 
it.  You  would  suppose  it  rich,  did  you  know 
how  poor  the  loss  of  it  made  the  lady,  and  also 


THE  DRAGON. 


141 


the  pearls  which  her  eyes  paid  down  without 
stint  for  a  ransom.  It  would  have  moved  a 
heart  of  stone  to  see  her  wring  her  hands,  while 
her  disordered  hair  fell  over  a  face  usually  so 
beautiful  and  tranquil ;  and  the  soothing  atten- 
tions of  those  whom  she  loved  could  not  quell 
the  fever  which  burned  in  the  brain.  Nay,  it  is 
useless  to  stand  there  sobbing.  Go  and  seek  the 
jewel,  and  if  you  can  recover  it,  it  will  be  great 
treasure  found.  When  that  is  done,  there  is 
more  for  you  still  to  do." 

Upon  this,  the  jailer  humbly  made  inquiry  in 
what  direction  he  was  to  look  for  the  precious 
gem,  and  he  learned  that  Salander  dropped  it  in 
the  sea,  and  that  he  was  to  go  to  the  province 
of  Gudneiburud,  near  the  mansion  called  the 
Alabaster  Palace  of  Gudnaim.  Forthwith  he 
placed  in  his  wallet  a  few  bludraps  (a  small 
gold  coin),  for  which  he  had  labored  painfully, 
and  which  he  had  saved  up  with  care.  He  did 
not  let  his  wife  see  him  do  it,  otherwise  she 
would  have  snatched  the  bludraps  out  of  his 
hand,  and  told  him  that  they  were  to  be  saved 
up  against  old  age,  and  not  to  be  spent  in  tap- 
rooms, nor  scattered  broadcast  upon  highways. 
As  it  was,  when  she  perceived  him  bustling 


142  SALANDER    AND 

about,  and  putting  provisions  in  his  knapsack, 
she  exclaimed, 

"  What  is  the  matter,  that  you  can  not  attend 
to  your  business,  like  other  men  ?  You  are  the 
slave  of  this  Conscienza,  and  I  wish  that  you 
were  under  the  control  of  another,  or  that  the 
potion  had  killed  him.  And,  prithee,  where 
are  you  going  now  ?" 

"  This  business,"  he  replied,  "  is  not  very 
soon  to  end,  I  fear,  and  for  it  you  are  to  blame ; 
so  hold  your  tongue,  woman.  That  very  tongue 
of  yours,  which  is  now  wagging,  persuaded  me 
to  do  the  mischief,  which  I  am  afraid  can  never 
be  undone.  I  am  oft'  to  the  sea-shore  to  hunt 
for  a  diamond,  which  that  little  wretch,  Salan- 
der,  has  stolen,  and  dropped  in  the  waves,  and 
if  I  don't  find  it—" 

"  You  might  as  well  look  for  a  lost  star  at 
the  bottom  of  a  well,"  said  she. 

The  jailer  smiled,  for  he  was  now  acting  in 
obedience  to  Conscienza,  and  that  consoled  him 
a  little.  So  he  took  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and 
went  forth  on  what  appeared  a  hopeless  errand. 
Yet  he  reasoned  with  himself  thus :  Perhaps 
God,  against  whom  I  have  sinned,  in  disobeying 
the  power  set  over  me,  will  help  me  in  this  mat- 


THE    DRAGON.  143 

ter,  for  the  cause  is  righteous.  Men  often  by 
accident  light  upon  that  which  is  precious  :  why 
should  not  those  who  seek  find,  if  it  be  any  thing 
in  the  way  of  truth  and  duty  ? 

As  the  shades  of  night  fell,  he  was  approach- 
ing the  town  of  Drownthort,  which  he  perceived 
lit  up  with  an  unusual  illumination.  All  the 
belfries,  spires, ^  and  cupolas  of  the  town  were 
glowing  in  a  white  and  lurid  flame,  and  you 
could  read  a  fine  manuscript  a  mile  off.  This, 
thought  the  jailer,  is  a  bonfire  in  honor  of  the 
birth  of  a  new  prince.  This  dissipated  town  is 
glad  of  an  excuse  for  jollity ;  but  what  makes 
the  bells  toll  mournfully,  instead  of  ringing  a 
merry  peal?  That  is  strange.  Toll — toll — toll 
— toll !  I  do  not  know  of  any  distinguished 
benefactor  who  has  died,  and  who  is  to  be 
buried  by  torchlight.  What  mean  these  con- 
tradictory signs  1  On  approaching  nearer,  the 
light  waxed  more  intense ;  and  when  by  hard 
walking  he  soon  reached  the  great  square,  Good- 
man, to  his  horror,  perceived  a  stake  set  up  in 
the  midst  of  bursting  flames.  "  Ah  !"  said  he, 
"  a  great  crime  has  been  committed  in  this  king- 
dom, no  doubt.  Some  person  has  had  an  opinion 
of  his  own,  which  he  has  dared  to  divulge.  It 


114  SALANDER    AND 

is  to  be  feared  that  the  woods  will  not  grow  fast 
enough  txj  furnish  faggots  to  burn  up  men  who 
are  bold  enough  to  think.  I,  for  my  part,  have 
been  punished  enough  for  that  which  my  hands 
have  done  ;  but,  thank  God,  I  never  have  had 
an  opinion,  otherwise  in  this  persecuting  age 
I  should  have  been  burned  long  ago!  Even 
where  they  do  not  pile  sticks  around  you,  and 
kindle  the  fire,  they  have  a  caustic  which  an- 
swers the  purpose  just  as  well.  They  starve 
you,  they  turn  you  out  of  place,  they  give  you  a 
cold  shoulder,  they  set  the  tide  rolling  against 
you,  they  break  your  heart  with  coldness  and 
indignity.  You  may  cut  a  throat,  and  escape 
the  gallows,  but  if  you  have  an  opinion,  look 
out  lest  you  be  burned.  Oh,  the  world  is  be- 
coming Christianized  !" 

So  thought  Goodman,  but  he  took  good  care 
not  to  speak  what  he  thought.  He  approached 
the  fire,  and  perceived  a  woman  tied  to  the 
stake.  It  was  the  sorceress.  She  writhed  in  a 
few  convulsions,  and  was  soon  suffocated  to 
death.  "  Ah  !"  said  he,  "  this  is  the  one  to 
whom  I  resorted  after  being  fascinated  in  the 
halls  of  pleasure.  Her  destruction  is  a  sign 
that  pleasure  can  no  longer  please.  Of  what 


THE    DRAGOX.  145 

avail  were  her  opiates  ?  They  can  stupefy  no 
more.  All  who  were  engaged  with  me  in  that 
unfortunate  business  seem  destined  to  perish." 
With  this  he  left  the  Grand  Square. 

On  the  next  day  Goodman  had  not  advanced 
far  when  in  a  by-road  which  ran  down  through  a 
woody  ravine  he  met  a  man  of  wild  appearance, 
armed  with  a  s,tout  stick,  who  seemed  a  pilgrim 
like  himself.  On  coming  up,  the  stranger  halt- 
ed, and  addressed  our  traveler  thus  : 

"  Excuse  me,  but  can  you  inform  me  where 
lives  a  certain  man  named  Goodman?  I  wish 
to  find  him  very  much." 

"  This,"  thought  the  jailer,  "  is  curious,  and 
may  turn  out  for  good.  What  can  he  want  of 
me  ?  Perhaps  he  may  assist  me  in  my  under- 
taking, and  I  in  his.  Certainly,"  said  he,  "  I 
can.  As  luck  will  have  it,  I  am  that  identical 


man. 

a 


Are  you  indeed  ?"  replied  the  other ;  "  right 
glad  I  am  to  meet  you  so  opportunely,  and  to 
have  it  from  your  own  lips.  Providence  must 
have  thrown  you  in  my  way.  And  I,  let  me 
inform  you,  am  a  kinsman  of  the  Baron  Wurthi, 
house  of  Gudnaim." 
"I  do  not  know  him." 


146  SALANDER    AND 

"  You  are  a  liar,  as  well  as  a  thief,"  replied 
the  other,  his  eyes  glaring  with  animosity. 

"  You  must  mistake  me,  sir.  I  have  not  the 
honor  to  be  acquainted  with  one  of  his  high  dis- 
tinction. I  am  only  a  poor  jailer,  and  I  keep 
the  Hartz  Prison." 

"  I  shall  hold  you  responsible,"  rejoined  the 
stranger,  "  because  you  let  a  thief  go,  and  I 
have  made  an  oath  to  avenge  my  kinsman." 
With  that  he  fell  to,  and  inflicted  upon  Good- 
man an  unmerciful  drubbing.  The  latter  had 
scarcely  recovered  from  the  surprise  of  this  en- 
counter, and  was  limping  off,  groaning  from  the 
pain  of  the  blows  received,  when  his  lord  unex- 
pectedly met  him  face  to  face,  and  the  following 
short  dialogue  ensued  : 

GOODMAN.  My  lord,  I  have  been  suddenly 
attacked  and  sore  beaten  and  bruised  by  a 
youngster,  who  says  that  he  is  related  to  the 
house  of  Gudnaim. 

CONSCIENZA.  You  have  been  punished  not 
more  severely  than  you  deserve. 

GOODMAN.  I  know  it. 

As  he  advanced  upon  his  journey,  he  found 
that  he  was  in  circumstances  of  great  danger, 
and  ought  to  have  set  out  armed.  He,  saw  sus- 


THE    DRAGON.  147 

picious  looks  cast  upon  him,  and  heard  one  and 
another  whisper  as  they  passed,  "  That  looks 
like  the  fellow  that  Salander  was  last  with  be- 
fore he  did  the  mischief.  'No  doubt  they  ar- 
ranged the  scheme  together.  Does  he  not  de- 
serve the  hatred  and  contempt  of  all  good  men  V 
He  became  more  uneasy,  and  slept  in  the  open 
fields,  without  a  pillow  for  his  head,  where  the 
dews  of  the  night  fell  upon  him.  He  was  op-* 
pressed  by  nightmare,  and  thought  he  saw  the 
dwarf  transformed  into  a  giant,  stalking  over 
the  earth  with  long  strides,  till  coming  to  a  hor- 
rid place  of  rocks,  he  suddenly  turned  upon 
him,  seized  him  by  the  waist,  and  lifted  him 
high  in  mid  air,  as  if  to  dash  him  down  and 
transfix  him  on  a  sharp  fragment  of  flint  stone ; 
then  suddenly  unclenching  his  gripe,  he  said, 
"  Not  now,  not  now  !  There,  there  ;  slip  down 
by  my  neck  and  shoulders  ;"  and  as  soon  as  he 
touched  the  ground,  he  was  beset  by  a  little 
phalanx  of  sharp  spears,  pointed  at  him,  and 
could  not  budge  an  inch,  till  he  awoke,  dripping 
with  perspiration,  crying  out  in  a  half-smothered 
voice,  "  Don't  goad  me  !  don't  goad  me  !" 

That  night  wrought  a  great  change  in  his 
aspect,  or  at  any  rate  on  the  next  morning  he 


148  SALANDER    AND 

first  discovered  that  a  great  change  had  taken 
place,  for  when  he  looked  in  a  polished  mirror, 
which  he  carried  with  him,  he  perceived  that 
his  head,  hefore  that  black  as  the  raven's  wing, 
blossomed  like  the  almond  tree. 

"  Oh,  horrible,"  said  he  ;  "  what  is  coming 
to  pass  7"  The  poor  jailer  was  indeed  unhappy, 
and  so  much  had  his  distresses  weighed  upon 
,him  in  a  short  time,  that  he  looked  like  an  old 
man,  when  weary  and  dejected  he  came  and 
sat  down  by  the  shores  of  the  far-sounding 
sea. 

The  sublime,  expansive  prospect  revived  his 
soul,  and  one  by  one  he  watched  the  breakers, 
and  hearkened  to  the  roar,  as  each  successive 
billow  died  away  upon  the  sands.  And  thus  he 
mused,  leaning  upon  his  hands,  although  his 
thoughts  lacked  expression : 

"  0  thou  deep  and  dark-blue  ocean,  how  do 
I  long  to  burst  the  chains  which  bind  me,  and 
to  cross  over  thee,  thou  arched  and  watery 
bridge,  connecting  the  Near  with  the  Remote ! 
Perhaps  in  the  distance  I  might  forget  my  sor- 
rows, and  find  the  trees  whereon  the  balsam 
grows.  How  much  more  majestic  is  thy  sound 
than  the  roar  of  the  lion  in  the  wilderness,  yet 


THE    DRAGON.  149 

how  much  more  lulling  thy  peaceful  murmur 
than  the  Eolian  harp  !" 

Rising  up,  he  began  to  walk  slowly  on  the 
ocean's  marge,  where  the  compacted  sand  was 
moist  and  pleasant  to  the  feet,  searching  among 
the  snow-white  pebbles  and  polished  shells,  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  lost  gem.  He  picked  up 
all  the  particles  which  seemed  to  glisten,  but 
drying  in  the  hand,  they  proved  to  be  pieces  of 
quartz,  splintered  from  some  rock,  or  fragments 
of  a  gaudy  shell,  and  he  hopelessly  hoped  that 
what  he  sought  would  yet  be  found  in  the  belly 
of  some  fish  which  Avould  be  caught.  Forth- 
with he  began  to  inquire  with  a  rueful  counte- 
nance of  those  whom  he  met,  "  Good  people,  a 
jewel,  a  bright  jewel,  has  vanished  in  these 
waves.  Can  you  tell  me  where  I  am  to  look  for 
it  1  I  am  a  servant  of  Conscienza,  and  come  at 
his  command." 

But  they  were  rude  fishermen,  and  only 
laughed  him  to  scorn.  They  had  never  heard 
of  Conscienza,  and  were  servants  of  one  Diavolo, 
who  lived  on  the  cliffs,  and  who  would  no  doubt 
turn  them  out  of  his  employ,  if  they  had  any 
thing  to  do  with  Conscienza.  They  would  not 
listen  to  him,  nor  give  him  any  assistance,  and 


150  SALANDER    AND 

they  said  that  he  was  a  poor  crazy  old  man,  and 
setting  their  white  sails,  they  shot  away  over 
the  glassy  deep  to  drag  their  nets.  Peaceful 
and  lovely  swelled  those  circling  shores,  which 
clasped  the  wave,  where  from  the  verdant  brink 
the  wild  rose  loved  to  see  its  image,  and  the 
aspen  quivered  deep  down  in  the  reflection  of 
the  heavenly  blue.  The  land  and  water  seemed 
to  love  each  other.  There  the  beetling  promon- 
tory jutted  far  into  the  sea,  and  here  the  sea 
rolled  into  the  sweet  haven  and  was  shut  up  like 
a  romantic  lake.  Into  this  paradise,  to  play 
their  diabolic  pranks,  had  come  Salander  and 
the  dragon. 

Goodman  walked  almost  despairingly  along 
the  shore.  Is  it  not  strange,  of  all  whom  he 
met,  one  only  he  found  to  have  pity  on  him  1 
Yet  he  might  have  thanked  the  others  whose 
disregard  made  the  attention  more  sweet.  The 
charities  of  the  heart  are  ever  thus  proportioned, 
as  one  to  many.  The  beggar  holds  out  his 
weary  hand  during  the  li velong  day,  till  the  very 
blood  runs  out  of  it,  and  toward  nightfall 
some  one  drops  into  it  a  little  alms.  Yet  to 
him  who  truly  needs,  that  one  will  surely  come 
along  before  the  sun  goes  down.  Although  you 


THE    DRAGON.  151 

never  see  him  receive  any  thing,  it  must  he  so, 
or  else  he  would  not  sit  there  from  day  to  day. 
It  is  true  as  any  chemical  analysis.  One  heart  at 
least  will  be  bosomed  in  every  multitude,  and  on 
every  highway  there  will  be  a  Samaritan  where 
a  wayfarer  is  sick.  Even  those  who  give  no- 
thing give  profusely,  because  they  render  up 
their  share  of  gratitude  to  the  chief  almoner. 
Oh,  ye  stingy  of  good  Avords  and  kind  affections, 
how  self-denying  you  are  to  remit  your  debt  in 
favor  of  another !  But  it  is  well.  If  all  things 
were  sweet,  then  there  would  be  no  sweetness, 
and  we  prize  good  treatment  at  a  costly  value, 
only  after  rebuffs. 

Goodman  found  one  to  listen  kindly  to  his 
story,  and  as  he  told  it  with  simplicity,  she  was 
even  touched  to  tears.  She  was  habited  in  sa- 
ble weeds,  and  of  the  order  of  those  who  spend 
their  lives  in  doing  good,  and  whatever  their 
privations  here,  they  will  hereafter  shine  the 
purest  seraphs  in  the  realms  of  bliss.  She 
knew  the  poor  man's  errand  was  in  vain,  but 
she  addressed  him  thus  : 

"  In  yonder  cottage  in  the  wood  by  the  water's 
edge,  there  lives  an  aged  couple,  and  they  have 
a  young  daughter,  who  is  named  Undine,  a 


152  SALANDER    AND 

marvelous  creature,  who  almost  lives  in  the  sea, 
which  appears  to  be  her  element.*  She  will 
often  leap  into  it  with  a  wild  shriek,  and  return 
at  night  with  her  garments  thoroughly  wet. 
She  sometimes  brings  back  treasure  which  she 
has  found,  and  she,  if  any,  can  assist  you.  As 
it  is  something  precious  which  you  are  in  search 
of,  God  speed  you  on  your  errand.  Farewell. 
Pray  for  one  who  has  had  sorrow." 

Goodman  almost  wept  for  joy  when  he  heard 
this,  and  hope  revived  in  his  breast,  and  he 
wished  to  kiss  the  hand  of  the  stranger,  and  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  those  vailed  features,  but  she 
had  vanished.  And  now,  as  the  night  drew  on, 
and  lengthened  shadows  fell  upon  the  plain,  he 
directed  his  steps  toward  the  cottage. 

Weary  and  hungry  he  knocked  at  the  door, 
and  was  hospitably  received  by  the  aged  people. 
They  offered  what  their  house  could  afford,  but 
when  he  told  his  errand,  they  shook  their  heads. 

"  Alas !    Alas  !"  they  said,  u  she  is  a  way- 

*  It  will  be  perceived  from  what  lovely  romance  we  have 
recalled  this  fairy  being.  It  was  one  with  which  the  poet 
Coleridge  was  entranced,  for  he  declared  that  it  touched 
him  more  than  any  thing  produced  even  by  the  genius  of 
Scott.  Let  those  who  have  not  done  so,  peruse  Undine. 


THE    DRAGON. 

ward  creature,  and  gives  us  no  little  pain. 
Sometimes  she  does  not  make  her  appearance 
for  days  together,  and  we  can  not  sleep  for  fear 
that  she  is  devoured  by  wolves  or  drowned  in 
the  sea.  At  last,  as  we  can  not  take  care  of 
her,  we  trust  her  to  God,  for  she  seems  to  be- 
long to  some  other  planet,  rather  than  to  be  the 
child  of  poor  parents.  She  will  sit  for  hours  on 
the  cliff  with  her  lute  in  her  hand,  to  watch  the 
dolphins,  and  ere  AVC  know  it,  has  plunged  into 
the  very  midst  and  disappears.  We  need  com- 
fort, rather  than  we  are  able  to  give  it ;  but  re- 
fresh yourself  with  this  white  bread  and  this 
new  milk,  and  we  will  call  our  daughter,  if  she 
can  anywhere  be  found." 

With  that  the  old  woman  went  upon  the 
threshold,  and  cried  aloud,  "Undine !  Undine!" 
and  the  promontories  and  headlands  echoed  back 
the  sound,  "Undine  !  Undine!"  while  those  who 
had  ever  seen  her,  and  known  her  sportive  na- 
ture, would  have  supposed  that  the  voice  which 
imaged  her  parent's  was  her  own  exquisite  mim- 
icry. At  last,  when  the  reverberations  had  died 
away,  and  the  door  was  closed,  her  presence  was 
indicated  as  usual  by  a  slight  rush,  like  the 
wings  of  a  zephyr,  by  a  few  pattering  drops,. 


154  SALANDER    AND 

and  then  by  a  violent  swash  against  the  window, 
when,  with  a  wild  shout,  she  burst  in,  an  appa- 
rition beautiful  to  behold.  Her  luxuriant  hair, 
from  her  head  entangled  with  sea-weed,  fell  al-. 
most  to  her  ankles,  over  a  sylph- like  form;  her 
cheeks  were  rosy  with  exercise,  and  her  whole 
countenance  glowed  with  the  purple  light  of 
youth. 

"  Dear  parents,"  she  said,  "  can  not  1  be 
gone  from  your  sight  a  moment?  I  am  scarcely 
down  among  the  corals,  when  I  hear  the  usual 
cry,  '  Undine  !  Undine  !' ' 

"  Child,"  the  old  people  replied,  "  if  you  will 
indulge  that  naughty  sport  of  diving  in  the  sea, 
making  the  neighbors  think  that  we  are  un- 
earthly folks  in  having  such  a  child,  God  help 
you  and  us.  But  here  is  a  poor  man  in  distress, 
and  yonder  by  the  islet — he  knows  not  exactly 
where — in  the  very  deep,  deep  water,  there  is  a 
lost  gem,  and  unless  he  finds  it,  very  much  he 
fears  that  he  is  ruined." 

"A  gem?"  she  said,  with  emphasis — "a 
gem  1 — which  ?  which  1  which  1  There  are 
many,  and  many  of  them.  I  have  walked  on  a 
paved  way  of  jewelry,  thick-studded  as  the  stars 
in  heaven.  There  are  ingots,  and  pieces  of 


THE    DRAGON.  155 

eight,  rich  tankards  from  which  the  barons 
quaff  ale,  cups  of  gold,  bracelets,  and  gems  of 
every  kind,  by  the  reefs  where  the  galleons 
sank ;  and  many  a  snow-white  skull  has  eyes 
made  of  rubies,  or  pearls,  or  diamonds.  Which  1 
which1?"  and  she  looked  with  a  serious  air. 

Goodman  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and 
said,  "  I  don't  know  what  I  seek,  God  help  me ; 
I  don't  know,  I  don't  know,  I  don't  know." 

"  We  will  try,"  said  Undine.  "  There  goes 
the  sun ;  we  will  go  down  together,  and  may  we 
both  come  up,  bringing  light  and  joy." 

At  that  very  moment  the  slant  rays  of  the 
setting  sun  illuminated  the  windows  of  every 
castle  in  the  neighborhood,  and  made  them  all 
appear  on  fire.  A  splash  was  heard,  and  the 
sea-nymph  had  disappeared. 

Goodman  sat  during  the  whole  evening  ab- 
sorbed in  reverie,  looking  at  the  few  embers, 
and  at  last  the  old  people  retired,  trusting  their 
child  to  God.  He  then  softly  lifted  the  latch, 
and  went  out  to  the  margin  of  the  sea.  It  was 
a  heavenly  night,  for  the  moon  was  full,  and 
bathed  the  landscape  in  a  soft  splendor,  while 
every  dancing  wave  was  like  a  bejeweled  crown, 
and  the  evening  star  still  threw  a  broad  and 


156  SALANDER    AND 

fiery  band  of  light  over  the  waters.  But  he 
had  no  heart  for  all  this  beauty;  his  success 
was  doubtful ;  he  would  go  to  seek  the  maiden ; 
so  he  dropped  into  a  light  skiff,  and  let  it  drift 
seaward.  All  things  seemed  to  mock  his  hopes, 
and  when  he  dipped  his  oar,  the  waters  flashed 
and  coruscated,  as  if  they  held  ten  thousand 
jewels  like  that  which  he  sought;  and  he  saw 
the  silvery  fins  of  fish,  whose  immense  backs 
were  curved  on  the  surface  of  the  waves,  or  who 
put  their  noses  above  the  brine  to  breathe.  He 
had  observed  that  the  waters,  now  untroubled, 
were  as  clear  as  crystal,  and  reflected  in  their 
depth  a  profounder  deep,  where  the  blue  sky 
and  every  trembling  star  hung  imaged  in  a 
map,  and  the  snow-white  sails  glancing  by 
without  noise  made  him  fancy  that  he  was  in 
the  land  of  spirits ;  and  while  his  skiff,  slowly 
wafted  by  the  tide  and  a  gentle  breath,  neared 
the  islet,  he  heard  a  murmur,  fine,  almost  impal- 
pable, like  that  of  a  sea-shell,  or  the  dying  note 
of  a  stricken  harp-string,  till  it  swelled  by  just 
degrees  into  a  cloying  sweetness  and  a  most  be- 
wildering melody.  Ravished  with  the  sound,  a 
smile  spread  over  his  features,  as  with  the  moon 
above  him,  softly,  softly,  without  the  least  splash, 


THE   DRAGON.  157 

he  let  drop  the  anchor  to  the  pebbly  bottom,  and 
putting  his  ear  down  to  the  surface  of  the  wave, 
listened  with  all  his  might.  Then  he  heard 
plainly  a  low  chant  or  recitative : 

Oh,  ye  willows  that  wave  o'er  the  billows  that  lave 

The  home  of  the  cherished  Undine, 
Do  you  droop  o'er  the  spot  which  encircles  the  grot 

Where  a  jewel,  bright  jewel,  is  seen  ? 
'Tis  a  stolen  gem  from  a  rich  diadem,  of  the  purest  and 
rosiest  beam, 

And  it  flashes  more  far  than  a  silvery  star, 
The  jewel  of  vanished  Esteem. 

Mariners  .bold   have  hunted  the  Golden  Fleece  o'er  the 

pitiless  seas, 

And  have  hearken'd  for  flocks  thro'  the  clashing  rocks 
Of  oerulean  Symphlegades. 

But  never  they  found  on  the  wealthiest  ground,  entranced 

in  a  golden  dream, 

A  jewel  so  bright  as  we  seek  for  to-night, 
The  jewel  of  vanished  Esteem. 

Oh,  where  are  the  eyes  that  now  gaze  on  the  prize, 

Ani  tenderly  flash  back  its  rays  ? 
Are  they  smiling  above,  and  beguiling  with  love, 

Or  illuming  the  watery  ways  ? 

Ah !  shed  on  the  sight  of  the  hapless  to-night  one  ray  of 
thy  exquisite  sheen, 

'Twi'.l  be  caught  on  the  tear  of  repentance  sincere, 
And  lighten  the  heart  of  Undine. 


158  SALANDER    AND 

For  many  minutes  he  paused  bewildered  when 
the  sounds  had  died  away,  and  was  only  waken- 
ed from  his  reverie  by  the  aerial  picture  of  Un- 
dine, who  leaped  from  a  high  cliff  into  the  sea. 
The  circling  wavelets  subsided,  and  all  was  still, 
save  that  the  night-winds  sighed  through  the 
branches,  which  drooped  over  the  brink,  and  a 
gentle  plash  could  be  heard  as  the  silvery  waters 
kissed  the  shore.  And  so  the  night  wore  on, 
and  he  watched  the  beautiful  procession  of  the 
stars  as  they  went  down  one  by  one,  and  others 
emerged,  and  certain  others  shot  "from  their 
spheres,"  as  if  to  hear  that  sea-maid's  music. 
And  as  the  music  had  reverberated  from  cliff  to 
cliff  of  the  little  rocky  islet,  which  was  itself  a 
gem  in  the  bosom  of  the  deep,  so  when  it  had 
ceased  on  shore,  it  still  kept  on,  echo  of  echo, 
in  unceasing  undulations  through  his  brain.  He 
knew  not  how  long  he  continued  hearkening  with 
an  acute  sense,  like  a  deer  in  the  forest,  dread- 
ing to  lose  the  sound,  because  he  had  not  inter- 
preted it,  and  did  not  know  whether  it  betoken- 
ed danger  or  the  reverse,  when  he  was  startled 
with  a  burst  of  wild  laughter,  which  made  all 
ring  again.  Undine  had  emerged,  unobserved 
by  him,  and  stood  erect  on  the  high  cliff  from 


THE   DRAGON.  161 

which  she  had  leaped.  On  her  left  arm  hung 
a  pearl  necklace,  in  her  right  hand  she  held 
something  which  glistened  in  the  moon  with 
multitudinous  rays,  as  if  the  rock  had  been  a 
lighthouse. 

"  Joy  !  joy  !  forever  !"  exclaimed  the  jailer. 
"  She  has  found  it !  she  has  found  it !"  and, 
pulling  up  the  anchor,  and  snatching  the  oars, 
he  dashed  into  the  cove.  When  he  had  reached 
the  top  of  the  hill  he  was  nearly  breathless,  and 
trembled  so  much  that  he  was  just  ready  to  tot- 
ter over  the  rocks  into  the  sea,  when  he  was  ar- 
rested by  the  arm  of  Undine. 

"  You  have  it,"  he  said,  with  agitation,  "  me- 
thinks  you  have  it." 

"  Poor  earthling,"  exclaimed  the  other,  gaz- 
ing full  at  him  with  her  starlike  eyes,  which 
beamed  with  pity,  "  I  have  it  not." 

A  deep  moan  burst  from  his  inmost  heart,  and 
in  one  moment  the  night  became  dark,  and  the 
moon  was  blotted  out,  and  the  stars  had  lost 
their  luster,  and  the  music  of  the  waves  had 
ceased. 

"  This,"  exclaimed  the  maiden,  holding  up 
the  necklace,  "  has  decked  the  neck  of  vanity, 
and  been  the  cause  of  tears.  Let  it  return  into 


162  SALANDER    AND 

deep  waters,  where  it  may  no  more  be  found  ;" 
and  with  that  she  flung  it  to  a  distance,  and  it 
disappeared.  "  And  this,"  she  said,  holding  up 
a  diamond  ring,  "  I  know  its  history  well.  I 
give  it  to  you  to  do  with  it  as  you  please.  It  is 
not  the  one  which  you  seek.  Poor  pilgrim,  re- 
turn to  your  home,  for  that  can  no  more  be 
found." 

He  took  the  ring  in  his  hand,  of  which  she 
gave  him  an  account  in  few  words,  and  as  he 
was  gazing  listlessly  at  it,  with  another  wild  cry 
she  leaped  from  the  cliff.  For  a  little  while  her 
whits  shoulders  could  be  seen  glancing  above  the 
flood,  and  then,  like  a  vision  of  beauty,  she  had 
passed  away.  The  jailer  sought  shelter  under 
a  cavern  made  by  overarching  rocks,  and  slept 
until  the  morning  dawned. 

Now  this  is  the  history  of  the  diamond  ring. 
Many  years  before  there  lived  on  two  opposite 
sides  of  the  frith  two  families  distinguished  for 
wealth,  ancestry,  and  ennobling  virtues.  An 
event  was  soon  to  take  place,  which  promised 
equal  satisfaction  to  each,  and  already  began  to 
awaken  in  the  neighborhood  a  thrill  of  joy. 
Oswald,  the  sole  heir  to  his  father's  estates, 
was  to  espouse  the  baron's  lovely  daughter.  A 


THE   DRAGON.  163 

brighter,  merrier  Christmas  was  expected  than 
had  been  kncwn  in  that  vicinity  for  many  years. 
The  tenantry  were  to  have  three  days  of  rejoic- 
ing, with  feasts  and  all  manner  of  games.  On 
the  wedding  night  the  bridegroom  started  for  the 
festive  halls  in  a  light  bark,  whose  variegated 
lanterns  swayed  gently  to  the  rowers'  song  ;  and 
while  the  castle  on  the  other  side  blazed  with 
illumination,  and  the  harpers  sat  with  their 
fingers  on  the  strings,  ready  to  set  the  wavy 
dance  in  motion,  and  the  magnificent  bride  was 
arrayed  in  a  vail  which  set  oft'  her  charms,  then 
the  bridegroom,  standing  up  on  the  prow,  his 
gay  feather  drooping  over  his  embroidered  man- 
tle, was  examining  for  a  moment  the  luster  of 
the  jewel  which  he  held  in  his  fingers,  when 
with  a  lurch  of  the  light  bark  he  lost  his  foot- 
ing and  fell  into  the  waves.  It  was  to  no  pur- 
pose that  a  sudden  arm  was  outstretched  to 
grasp  his  mantle  ;  it  parted  at  his  neck  by  the 
breaking  of  the  golden  clasp,  and  he  sank  with- 
out a  groan. 

In  vain  the  bells  rang  from  the  turrets ;  in 
vain  a  hundred  torches  Beamed  wildly  from  the 
shores,  and  the  waves  were  all  in  commotion 
with  the  splashing  of  oars,  and  agonized  appeals 


164  SALANDER    AND 

went  up  to  heaven ;  the  young,  the  beautiful, 
lay  low  in  his  last  sleep,  and  one  by  one  the 
lights  were  put  out  in  the  castle,  and  a  hundred 
gloomy  guests  went  home,  not  even  exchanging 
a  word.  On  the  next  day  the  young  Oswald 
was  stretched  out  dead  on  the  green-sward  in 
his  bridal  robes. 

When  the  jailer  awoke  in  the  morning  and 
looked  at  the  ring,  in  his  disappointment  he  was 
ready  to  throw  it  after  the  necklace  into  the  sea. 
He  could  not  think  of  bartering  it,  nor  did  he 
wish  to  take  it  with  him,  for  it  was  not  the  one 
which  he  had  sought,  and  it  would  not  be  a 
suitable  present  for  his  wife.  At  last  a  thought 
struck  him,  and  the  execution  of  it  amused  his 
mind  for  a  time.  He  would  present  it  as  a 
token  of  gratitude  to  her  who  had  shown  some 
feeling  for  his  distresses,  and  who  had  guided 
him  to  Undine.  After  a  little  inquiry  he  found 
her  residence,  which  was  a  large  stone  building 
with  gardens,  surrounded  by  a  Avail  of  stone. 
Goodman,  with  a  little  hesitation,  knocked 'at 
the  gate,  and  made  respectful  request  to  see  the 
lady,  whom  he  described.  He  was  kindly  ad- 
mitted, while  the  one  to  whom  he  appealed 
went  to  her  door  and  said,  "  Sister  Agnes, 


THE  DRAGON.  165 

come  down ;  there  is  a  poor  man  asking  for 
you." 

Goodman  now  observed,  her  vail  being  re- 
moved, that  she  had  a  winning  expression,  and 
bore  the  marks  of  former  beauty.  When  in- 
formed that  his  search  had  been  unsuccessful, 
she  smiled  pensively. 

"  It  is  true  that  the  jewel  has  not  been  found, 
but  here  is  another  like  it.  Take  this  ring," 
he  said,  putting  his  fingers  into  a  small  wallet 
and  drawing  it  forth,  "  as  the  token  of  a  poor 
man's  gratitude,  and  do  not  refuse  the  gift.  To 
me  it  will  be  useless." 

The  lady  received  it  from  his  hand,  and 
examining  the  inscription  on  the  inner  rim,  and 
putting  it  on  her  finger,  suddenly  became  pale 
as  ashes  ;  a  torrent  of  tender  associations  came 
over  her,  and  he  thought  that  she  would  have 
swooned ;  but  recovering  herself,  she  replied, 
with  a  look  which  went  to  his  heart, 

"  I  accept  the  gift  with  the  utmost  gratitude, 
and  can  only  give  you  the  recompense  of  prayers. 
I  will  cherish  it  as  long  as  I  live,  and  nothing 
which  you  could  have  brought  to  me  would  be 
more  precious." 

As  he  went  out  he  observed  the  tears  starting 


166  SALANDER  AND 

in  her  eyes.  She  had  been  the  destined  bride. 
The  jailer  had  now  nothing  to  do  but  to  return 
to  his  lord,  and  report  that  he  could  not  find  the 
jewel. 

"  And  even  had  you  done  so,"  retorted  the 
latter,  "  it  might  have  beert  tarnished,  as  it  is 
one  of  those  which  are  too  pure  to  bear  hand- 
ling. You  have  done  nothing  as  yet  to  ward  off 
punishment,  and  it  must  surely  come  upon  you, 
notwithstanding  your  present  endeavors.  It 
was  a  malicious  thing  to  steal  it,  especially  as  it 
would  not  enrich  the  thief.  The  consequences 
have  as  yet  spent  themselves  on  the  innocent, 
but  will  be  felt  more  severely  as  soon  as  they 
reach  yourself;"  and  Conscienza  smote  him. 
"Nay,"  he  said,  "do  not  wince  and  groan; 
there  is  an  infliction  hanging  over  you  which  I 
myself  dread  to  think  of.  There  is  more  work 
for  you.  Are  you  ready  to  perform  it  1  You 
must  be  made  aware  of  your  fault  before  you 
are  even  fit  to  receive  punishment." 

The  jailer  bowed  his  head. 

"  That  mischievous  being,  Salarider,  has  torn 
down  a  respectable  house  over  the  heads  of  its 
inmates.  Go  and  inspect  the  ruins,  and  you 
must  either  find  the  means  to  rebuild  it,  or  pay 


THE    DRAGON.  167 

the  principal  and  interest  of  the  debt  incurred. 
Be  off  to  the  province  of  Gudneiburud,  and  in- 
quire for  the  Alabaster  Palace,  as  it  is  called, 
of  Gudnaim." 

And  now  we  are  to  behold  him  again  on  his 
pilgrimage,  toiling  through  the  dust,  and  looking 
as  anguished  as  if  his  neck  were  writhed  about 
with  vipers.  "  Oh,"  said  he,  "  the  way  of  the 
transgressor  is  hard.  Who  would  have  thought 
that  so  simple  a  thing  as  discharging  the  little 
wretch  would  result  thus  ?  I,  for  my  part, 
have  sinned  much,  and  suffered  for  it,  yet  I 
never  remember  that  any  one  act  has  involved 
me  in  so  much  trouble,  therefore  it  must  have 
been  very  flagrant.  There  appears  to  be  no 
end  of  it.  Since  that,  my  morals  have  become 
depraved,  my  best  feelings  blunted,  my  pros- 
perity for  life  is  blighted;"  and  he  sat  down  by 
the  wayside. 

While  there,  a  beggar  in  rags  came  up,  and 
asked  if  he  had  food  in  his  knapsack. 

"  I  have  a  little  for  my  own  wants,"  replied 
Goodman,  "  and  a  journey  before  me,  and  no 
money  in  my  purse,  and  no  friends  j"  for  he 
felt  as  if  he  had  no  friends. 

The  beggar  sighed.     "  You  are  in  my  case," 


168  SALANDER    AND 

said  he.  "  I  once  had  a  friend,  who  would 
let  me  want  for  nothing.  I  was  fed  with  daint- 
ies from  his  table,  but  it  no  longer  dispenses 
even  crumbs.  He  was  despoiled  of  his  inherit- 
ance, and  the  vassals  of  a  wicked  man  attacked 
his  house  and  left  it  in  ruins." 

"  And  who  was  your  friend  ?"  asked  the 
jailer,  with  misgiving. 

"  The  good  Baron  Wurthi,  besieged  by  Sa- 
lander  and  his  band." 

Goodman  turned  away  his  face,  which  was 
covered  with  confusion.  He  took  all  the  bread 
which  remained  in  his  knapsack,  and  gave  it  to 
the  poor  man.  "  Take  it,"  he  said,  "  for  some- 
thing tells  me  that  it  is  not  mine,  but  of  right 
yours.  I  must  obtain  more  as  I  best  can,  and 
if  God  does  not  give  it  to  me,  I  deserve  to 
starve." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  beggar,  taking  a  crust  of  it, 
"  I  am  very,  very  hungry ;  I  have  eaten  not  one 
morsel  to-day.  But  why,  sir,  are  you  so  dis- 
consolate ?" 

"  Because,"  he  replied,  "  I  had  a  hand  in 
that  ruin." 

"You?  you!"  exclaimed  the  other,  in  as- 
tonishment, "  then  I'll  not  touch  a  morsel  of 


THE    DRAGON.  169 

this  bread,  though  I  die  ;"  and  he  put  the  crust 
from  him,  and  his  lip  curled  with  scorn,  while 
he  walked  away  an  hungered. 

"  Hold !"  said  Goodman ;  "  tell  me  first 
where  I  am  to  look  for  the  spot  where  your 
benefactor  once  dwelt."  > 

"  There,"  said  he,  pointing  with  his  finger  ; 
"  go  in  that  direction,  and  you  will  find  the  sad 
ruin  of  that  which  was  once  beautiful  to  be- 
hold." 

Thus  they  parted. 

Goodman  knew  long  beforehand  that  he  ap- 
proached the  abode  of  desolation.  He  trod  the 
realm  of  barren  fields  and  broken  hedges.  He 
saw  the  rusty  sickles  hang  in  trees,  and  the 
golden  grain  pressed  down,  as  if  an  army  had 
trampled  it.  He  stopped  to  drink  at  a  fount- 
ain, and  it  was  choked  with  weeds  and  with 
dead  things,  which,  made  the  waters  foul.  He 
halted  at  a  cottage,  and  the  doors  were  wide 
open,  and  a  gigantic  creeper  had  already  crush- 
ed it,  as  in  the  coils  of  a  serpent.  There  was 
no  sound  of  lowing  kine,  or  piping  note  of  the 
shepherd,  with  his  crook,  guiding  the  flocks 
through  green  pastures.  A  lamb,  half-starved, 
lay  in  his  path  bleeding,  and  torn  to  pieces  by 


170  SALANDER    AND 

dogs.  Nay,  he  almost  sank  upon  the  earth 
with  horror,  when  a  monster  of  some  kind,  who 
had  been  mumbling  over  its  entrails,  rushed 
with  a  loud  yell  into  the  covert.  A  terrible 
fear  came  over  him  as  he  was  just  about  to 
gaze  on  the  full  result  of  his  folly,  for  every 
step  which  he  now  took  was  traced  in  ruin. 
"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  Salander  is  the  greatest  of 
all  wretches.  His  triumph  is  in  the  breaking 
of  hearts." 

He  soon  came  upon  what  was  once  a  pleasant 
garden,  and  still  a  wilderness  of  sweets.  But 
the  paths  were  covered  with  grass,  the  fruits 
stolen,  the  fountains  choked,  the  flowers  trailed 
in  the  dust,  the  vines  were  mildewed,  and  the 
statues  were  blackened  and  cast  down. 

But  what  were  his  feelings  when,  ascending 
higher,  he  came  within  full  view  of  what  was 
once  the  alabaster  palace.  It  was  a  snow-white 
mass  of  ruins.  The  most  delicately-chiseled 
leaves  of  the  acanthus  were  scattered  about 
profusely.  Here  lay  a  broken  column,  there  a 
Corinthian  capital ;  and  through  the  apertures 
of  the  white  blocks,  in  the  lime,  and  dust,  and 
ashes,  a  little  wild-flower  blossomed  in  the  mel- 
ancholy waste.  He  stood  upon  the  summit  of 


THE    DRAGON.  171 

these  ruins,  and  saw  the  land,  and  sky,  and  wa- 
ter blending  into  one  lovely  prospect,  and  the 
foliage  drooping  in  the  empty  air,  which  had 
once  embowered  the  eaves.  The  vines  which 
Stella  trained  beneath  the  oriel  window  were 
wandering  far  off  on  the  lawn  ;  but  in  the  brok- 
en flower-pot  the  limbs  of  the  rose  tree  were  yet 
bound  by  the  very  knot  which  her  hands  had 
tied. 

He  stood  where  once  had  been  the  wide  hall 
of  the  old  mansion.  He  knew  it,  because  at 
his  feet  lay  the  stag-horns  captured  in  the  chase, 
and  the  massive  armor  of  the  knights  who  had 
fought  in  Palestine.  No  doubt  the  beauty  of 
the  neighborhood  had  been  here  assembled  in 
the  dance,  which  had  been  kept  up  to  a  late 
hour,  while  the  boats  which  were  to  convey  the 
guests  homeward  lay  anchored  near  the  shore. 
And  here  were  the  banisters  of  the  great  stair- 
case, up  which  the  fair  maids  of  the  family  used 
to  trip  with  taper  in  hand  when  the  ball  was 
over,  and  cousins  bade  each  other  a  good-night, 
as  they  entered  into  the  dormitories.  All  this 
he  fancied,  because  he  had  been  a  servant  in 
great  houses. 

He  trod  upon  the  golden  frets  of  an  ancient 


172  SALANDER    AND 

and  beautiful  harp,  now  ruined,  and  as  he  did 
so  the  strings  trembled,  and  the  voice  of  a  spit  '-^ 
seemed  to  whisper  in  his  ear : 

Thou  crush'd  and  broken  harp — thou  only  token 

Of  better  days,  of  melody  gone  by, 
Of  hearts  now  cold,  of  living  hearts  now  broken, 

Of  hopes  which  bud  and  blossom  but  to  die ! 

In  many  and  many  a  night,  through  winter  hoary, 
When  wild  winds  wailed  and  whistled  o'er  the  snows, 

A  cunning  touch  iwaken'd  summer's  glory, 
And  painted  bright  the  color  of  the  rose. 

Whore  is  the  light  of  Stella's  peerless  beauty, 

The  tear-dash'd  eyes,  which  thoughts  of  heaven  bring, 

The  voice  which  call'd  the  fainting  heart  to  duty, 
While  Zephyr  paus'd  to  buoy  it  on  his  wing  ? 

Gone  with  the  melted  snow,  the  rolling  river, 
The  sun-drank  dew  which  glistened  on  the  blade, 

As  shifting  cloud,  forever  and  forever,  •»" 

As  color  from  the  soft  cheeks  of  the  maid. 

How  rich,  how  rare  the  golden  memories  linger, 

Like  lasting  odor  of  the  perish'd  vine ! 
Can  I  forget  the  time  when  Stella's  finger 

Woo'd  the  warm  tear-drops  down  these  cheeks  of  mine  ? 

Thou  seraph's  music  for  the  broken-hearted, 

Come  to  me  still  in  echo,  sweetest  sprite, 
To  soothe  the  soul  with  thoughts  of  the  departed, 

Through  all  the  cold  and  dreary  winter  night. 


THE    DRAGON.  173 

That  which  affected  him  most  was  the  jams 
of  the  parlor  fireplace,  all  blackened  with  smoke, 
which  recalled  the  pleasant  converse,  and  the 
parting  kiss  at  night.  Then  he  stood  where  the 
library  had  once  been,  for  at  his  feet  lay  the 
illuminated  page  of  a  beautiful  antique  volume, 
whose  edges  were  burned  and  defaced.  He  took 
it  up,  and  read  by  the  decaying  light : 

"  JTorasmucl)  as  Bramblyte  think  y6  evyle 
worde  was  but  a  lyttyl  evill,  he  did  listen  to  his 
neiboure  entertain  hys  neighbour  with  hys  ney- 
bour's  fautes,  and  dyd  tell  it,  which  when  it 
was  once  blayzoned  forth,  it  went  like  wildfyre, 
and  ye  whole  countrie  in  a  blaze,  whereupon 
he  dyd  perceave  that  hys  lyttyl  evill  a  greate 
wronge,  and  then  he  repent  in  sackcloth,  and 
dydd  make  confessyon  when  it  too  late,  and 
ye  priest  willed  him  to  crawl  on  his  hands  and 
knees,  and  lick  y6  dust  foure  score  time  in 
y6  league,  which  he  dyd  right  freely,  and  four 
score  more  times  of  his  own  accorde. 

"  Herein  ye  first  errour  that  he  did  consent  to 
receyve  y°  secret  in  hys  eare,  and  whenn  he 
have  it  in  hys  bosom  dyd  burn  to  let  it  go, 
which  whenn  he  dyd,  greate  evyle  come  of  it, 


174  SALANDER    AND 

and  he  hymself  almost  destroyed  in  y6  commo- 
tion whych  it  produced.  There  was  once  a 
gardyner,  who,  whenn  he  did  buy  hys  wheat, 
perceyve  in  it  one  lyttyl  seed  very  noxious,  and 
a  hunderd-fold  bearer,  but  he  sayd  it  is  lyttyl, 
and  did  receive  it  and  scatter  it  with  ye  rest, 
and  good  luck  if  it  had  sprung  up  in  hys  own 
wheat  field,  hut  a  lyttle  byrd  didd  by  accident 
perceyve  it  and  drop  it  in  hys  neighbour  hys 
garden,  where  it  choked  up  all  ye  flower  beds, 
wheratt  the  owner  of  y6  garden  very  angry, 
and  didd  charge  it  upon  his  neyboure  that  he 
planted  the  seed  there  by  foul  design,  and  whenn 
he  say  it  was  by  accident,  that  he  did  only  re- 
ceyve  the  evile  seed,  and  got  from  Hym  he  know 
not  how,  the  other  say  that  he  should  hold  him 
accountabel." 

The  jailer  almost  wept  when  he  read  this,  for 
it  touched  him  very  nearly,  yet  the  manuscript 
had  been  in  existence  long  before  he  was  born. 
The  shadows  of  night  surprised  him  while  yet 
reading;  he  placed  the  book  in  his  bosom,  and 
turned  his  back  upon  the  place.  But  far  he 
had  not  advanced  when  a  rushing  sound,  like  a 
whirlwind,  passed  him,  and  anon  he  heard  a 


THE    DRAGON.  175 

confused  din  of  many  voices  breaking  out  into 
a  triumphant  glee,  with  the  accompaniment  of 
a  stringed  instrument.  He  cast  back  his  eye 
hastily.  It  was  Salander  and  his  crew,  who 
had  come  to  dance  and  revel  by  moonlight 
over  the  ruins  of  the  alabaster  palace  of  Gud- 
naim. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment  his  lord  met  him, 
for  he  seemed  of  late  to  be  very  little  absent 
from  him. 

"  So  at  last  you  begin  to  see  the  result  of  your 
foolhardiness.  Peace  once  dwelt  within  these 
courts.  What  have  you  done  to  restore  these 
lamentable  ruins  1" 

"  Nothing,  my  lord,  unless  tears  have  a  power 
to  rebuild." 

"  Tears  !"  exclaimed  the  other,  in  anger ; 
"  what  recompense  have  tears  ?  Is  that  all 
which  you  have  to  offer  for  broken  hearts  and 
ruined  houses?  They  can  do  no  good.  One 
attempt,  perhaps,  remains  to  you,  and  though 
it  can  be  no  benefit  to  others,  it  may  allay  your 
own  smarts.  You  can  go  and  ask  forgiveness 
of  those  whom  you  have  injured — nay,  ruined. 
See  to  what  a  narrow  point  is  reduced  your 
ability  to  undo  mischief." 


173  SALANDER    AND 

"  Alas  !"  said  Goodman,  "  I  am  too  happy  to 
have  even  this  ability  remaining.  This  I  can 
certainly  do,  though  it  will  be  a  very  bitter, 
mortifying  thing  to  look  in  the  faces  of  those 
whom  I  have  injured." 

With  this  he  passed  on,  meditating  how  he 
should,  by  his  words,  his  looks,  his  actions, 
make  a  favorable  impression,  especially  on  that 
poor  lady  who  had  lost  the  jewel.  "  When  they, 
see  my  tears  and  my  regret,"  he  said,  "  they 
will,  perhaps,  be  softened,  and  when  they  know 
how  much  I  have  been  already  chastised."  So 
he  asked  the  first  one  whom  he  met  whether  he 
could  inform  him  where  lived  the  baron  and  his 
family,  once  resident  at  Gudnaim  House. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  replied  the  other,  who  was  a  very 
old  man  ;  "  I  am  already  on  my  way  thither,  and 
not  a  long  way  cither.  He  once  lived  in  a  largCj 
sumptuous  mansion,  but  is  now  content  to  take 
up  with  a  very  small  one.  He  suffered  great 
persecution,  and  his  beautiful  house  was  de- 
stroyed, while  he  was  smitten  by  the  arrow  of  a 
man  named  Ingrat.  The  arrow  rankled  in  his 
flesh.  We  all  loved  him,  and  his  wife  was  an 
angel." 

"  Where  is  the  dwelling  1"  said  the  jailer,  in 


THE    DRAGON.  177 

alarm,  for  his  guide  had  conducted  him  to  a 
well-peopled  graveyard. 

"  Here  !"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  striking  his 
staff  down  into  the  earth,  "here! — they  are 
dead." 

Goodman  sank  down  on  the  graves  of  those 
whom  he  had  injured. 

Recovering,  he  arose  from  the  spot,  and  said 
not  a  single  word,  but  returned  to  the  Hartz 
Prison,  and  shut  himself  up  a  prisoner  in  one 
of  his  own  cells.  He  could  neither  eat,  nor 
drink,  nor  sleep,  and  was  soon  again  distressed 
by  the  presence  of  Conscienza.  He  looked 
more  stern  and  forbidding  than  ever,  and  did 
not  seem  to  regard  the  poignant  feeling  of  the 
jailer.  Not  at  all,  not  at  all.  But  again  he 
challenged  him  with  a  bitter  sarcasm. 

"  And  what  success  had  you  in  obtaining  for- 
giveness of  the  injured  1  Did  they  receive  you 
scornfully,  saying,  This  is  the  man  who  let  loose 
on  us  the  monster,  and  we  may  thank  him  for 
it  ?  Or  did  they  come  forth  to  meet  you  kind- 
ly, and  thus  pour  coals  of  fire  on  your  head? 
Speak !" 

"  Oh,  my  lord,  they  are  dead.  Not  even  the 
poor  satisfaction  had  I  of  saying  that  I  am  sorry, 


178  SALANDER    AND 

but  my  tears  have  been  like  rain  shed  on  the 
desert  sand." 

"  If  this  be  so,  then  your  hour  of  tribulation 
has  arrived.  You  remember  what  was  threat- 
ened if  you  let  the  prisoner  go.  There  is  no 
criminal  on  earth  more  injurious  than  Salander. 
What  you  have  already  suffered  is  but  a  fore- 
taste. Prepare  !" 

With  that  he  beckoned  to  him,  and  they 
walked  together  in  a  lonely  spot,  called  the  Vat- 
Jey  of  Lonelimusen.  The  funereal  cypress 
waved  above  their  heads,  and  they  appeared  to 
commune  solemnly.  Then  Conscienza  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  "  Remorse !  Remorse  !"  and 
the  woods  echoed  back  "  Remorse  !  Remorse !" 
Forthwith  there  appeared  upon  the  scene  a 
slave  as  black  as  night,  bearing  in  his  hand  a 
knotted  thong. 

"  Strip  him,"  said  Conscienza,  "  and  scourge 
his  back  till  he  almost  dies." 

The  jailer  folded  his  arms  in  silent  agony, 
and  uttered  not  a  word.  The  blows  descended. 
Th.ey  could  be  heard  far  and  wide.  They  were 
laid  on  by  the  minister  without  stint  and  with- 
out mercy.  The  big,  livid  tumors  bulged  out 
on  the  flesh,  and  when  the  lash  was  suspended 


THE  DRAGON.  179 

Goodman  only  regretted  that  his  life  was  not 
taken,  and  went  and  flung  himself  into  a  dun- 
geon black  as  night.  For  whole  days  he  main- 
tained a  moody  silence,  and  this  was  succeeded 
by  the  most  jubilant  spirits,  and  by  a  ringing 
laughter  for  hours.  Then  he  sought  for  a  dag- 
ger, and  raved.  "  Come,  my  Damascus  !  In 
what  unknown  place  art  thou  concealed,  as  in  a 
scabbard?  An  enemy  has  done  it."  Then 
again  he  relapsed  into  silence  and  sadness  for 
many  hours,  and  no  angel  of  mercy  came  near 
him. 

We  must  now  return  for  a  moment  to  the 
Duke  d'Envy.  The  principal  fault  in  this 
man's  character  was  an  excessive  selfishness 
and  self-esteem.  With  all  his  faults,  which 
were  innumerable  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and 
flagrant  as  the  tail  of  a  comet,  he  had  no  eyes 
for  a  single  one  of  them,  but  was  only  able  to 
see  that  which  was  without  himself.  There  his 
vision  was  keen  enough  to  detect  motes  in  the 
sunbeam,  and  faults  of  character  appeared 
hideous.  He  did  not  once  bring  himself  to 
judgment,  but  let  himself  leniently  slip  through 
his  own  fingers,  and,  without  leaving  his  seat, 
brought  in  a  verdict  of  "Not  Guilty."  He 


180  SALANDER    AND 

exacted  homage  for  his   seigniories  and  ducal 
possessions,  for  his  parks   and  forests,   which 
were  railed  with  iron,  and  filled  with  deer ;  for 
his  house,  which  was  a  regular  castle  of -stone, 
a  thousand  years  old,  with  moats  and   draw- 
bridge ;    for  his   equipage,  which  was  covered 
with  silver  and  gold;  for  his  many  children, 
who  onty  went  abroad  to  do  mischief,  and  yet 
the  duke  persuaded  himself  that  they  were  on  an 
angelic  ministry.     What  kind  of  children  they 
were  may  be  known  from  the  fact  that  Salander 
was  one  of  them.     The  duke  also  demanded 
homage  for  that  which  he  did  not  possess,  and 
if  those  who  were  not  his  vassals  refused  to  pay 
it,  he  told  his  servants  to  shoot  them  down  with 
cross-bows  wherever  they  met  them,   without 
mercy,  and  tumble  them  into  the  ditch,  and  that 
he  would  stand  godfather  to  the  undertaking. 
This  same  disposition  of  self-esteem  led  him  to 
detest  those  who  had  possessions  or   children 
similar  to  his  own.     For  this  reason  one  day,  in 
a  sly  manner,  he  had  released  Salander,  who 
before  that,  for  his  deformity  and  evil  nature, 
had  been  shut  up  in  his  father's  house,  because 
he  well  knew  that  he  would  go  out  and  do  mis- 
chief, and  strike  •  a  blow  in  the  very  direction 


THE  DRAGON.  181 

which  lie  intendel.  He  committed  him  in  the 
first  instance  to  Goodman,  for  two  reasons : 
first,  because  he  was  aware  that  the  prison 
could  not  hold  him,  and  secondly,  he  could  thus 
shift  the  responsibility.  The  damage  would  be 
tracked  back  to  the  poor  subordinate,  and  there 
the  blame  would  rest,  and  no  body  would  be  so 
bold  as  to  follow  it  up  to  Duke  d'Envy. 

It  was  with  infinite  delight  that  he  had  hith- 
erto watched  the  success  of  his  schemes,  and 
saw  the  ruins  of  the  alabaster  palace,  while 
•his  own  house  remained  firm.  But  he  was 
taken  very  ill  with  black  tongue  or  the  yellow 
jaundice,  or  some  such  terrible  disease,  and  be- 
ing apparently  near  to  death's  doory  his  piety 
began.  Much  he  praised  the  apostles  and  holy 
martyrs,  and  wished  that  more  such  could  be 
found.  But  persecution  had  now  ceased,  and 
virtue,  and  especially  the  Christian  graces, 
waxed  dim.  He  repeated  the  Lord's  prayer 
many  times,  and  asked  the  priest  whether  he 
thought  that  he  had  said  it  often  enough.  He 
rolled  his  eyes  upward  with  saintly  fervor,  for 
in  fact  he  was  frightened  almost  out  of  his  wits, 
and  anxious  to  make  a  compromise  with  Con- 
cienza,  that  he  might  die  in  peace.  But  al- 


182  SALANDER    AND 

though  his  disposition  had  not  changed  for  the 
worse,  suddenly  his  disease  took  a  turn  for  the 
better,  when  his  resolution  vanished,  and  he  was 
soon  moving  about,  the  same  man  as  before. 
No  change  had  taken  place  in  him,  except  that 
his  cheek,  always  pale  from  the  corrosive  effect 
of  passion  waxed  a  little  paler  from  disease. 
He  asked  the  servant  who  attended  him,  to  say 
to  him  (honor  bright),  whether  he  had  shown, 
during  illness,  any  weakness  of  mind,  any  flincK- 
ing,  as  the  craven-hearted  sometimes  do.  The 
latter  told  him  that  he  had  acted  throughout  like 
a  man,  and  had  repented  of  more  sins  than  he 
had  any  need  to  repent  of.  The  duke  put  his 
hand  in  his  pocket,  and  paid  the  faithful  servant 
a  doubloon. 

When  the  poor  jailer,  who  had  been  this  man's 
victim,  arose  from  his  couch  (for  he  too,  like  the 
duke,  was  prostrated  with  a  fit  of  illness),  and 
all  his  efforts  to  retrieve  his  error  had  been  of 
no  avail,  silent  and  moody  he  walked  alone  in 
the  valley  of  Lonelimiisen.  The  winds  sighed 
through  the  branches,  the  cypress  trees  waved 
over  his  head,  the  skies  were  dark  and  lower- 
ing. Would  the  sunshine  never  come  again? 
Would  he  never  delight  to  revisit  the  spots 


THE  DRAGON.  1S3 

where  the  late  roses  linger'?  "Oh,  my  Lord, 
my  Lord,"  he  said  (for  Conscienza  was  near 
him),  "  I  have  for  a  long  time  known  no  plea- 
sure, and  my  heart  has  been  a  stranger  to  repose. 
What  I  have  done  occasions  all  this  bitterness ; 
is  there  any  duty  for  one  in  my  case  which 
remains  undone  1  If  tears  are  worth  any  thing, 
I  have  more  ;  or  if  groans,  my  bosom  is  full  of 
them."  The  answer  returned  was,  "  are  you 
sorry  for  that  which  is  past,  and  will  you  do  dif- 
ferently for  the  future?"  Goodman  replied,  "  I 
am  sorry  for  the  past,  and  so  help  me  God,  I 
will  amend  my  life  for  the  future  ?  As  he  said 
this,  a  pale  beam  of  light  struggled  through  the 
clouds ;  a  very  pale  beam,  at  first  white,  after- 
ward ruddy,  and  in  the  reflection  of  it  the 
Lord  of  Conscienza  smiled  very  pleasantly. 
Goodman  Avept.  "  Something  remains  for  you 
to  do,"  said  the  former,  resuming  his  stern  look. 

"  Then,"  said  the  other,  "  I  fear  that  I  can 
not  do  it.  I  have  accomplished  no  task  which 
you  have  set  for  me." 

"  You  can  do  it,"  said  Conscienza,  "  and  you 
must.  In  this  effort  you  will  be  successful.  Ask 
God  to  forgive  you.  In  injuring  your  fellow- 
man,  you  have  offended  Him." 


184  SALANDER    AND 

The  jailer  fell  upon  his  knees,  dropped  his 
head  upon  his  breast,  clasped  his  hands,  and 
prayed. 

From  that  moment,  the  clouds  which  lowered 
above  his  house  were  rifted  by  a  beam  of  brill- 
iant sunshine,  and  the  spirit  of  the  scene  was 
changed.  Brotherly  love  was  now  the  •  ruling 
passion  of  his  heart.  The  grated  windows  were 
torn  away  from  the  Hartz  Prison,  which  became 
a  castle,  purged  and  cleansed  of  every  stain ; 
and  although  some  sacred  things  were  intrusted 
to  it,  the  ghost  of  Evelthots^-  had  forsaken  it 
forever ;  while,  as  his  days  passed  swiftly,  and 
the  shades  of  night  came  down,  Hope,  like  the 
evening  star,  rose  up  in  the  sky,  with  a  trem- 
ulous and  serene  luster. 


FINIS. 


Urtn  ^itfariiil  jFnmilq  35ihle. 

THE 

ILLUSTRATED   DOMESTIC   BIBLE, 

BY  THE  KEY.  INGRAM  COBBIN,  M.A. 

THIS  beautiful  FAMILY  BIBLE  is  now  completed,  and  forms  an 
elegant  crown  quarto  volume  of  1400  pages.  The  distinguishing  fea- 
tures of  this  Bible  are  : 

1.  Seven  Hundred  WOOD  ENORAVINOS. 

2.  Many  Thousand  MAKGINAL  REFERENCES. 

3.  Three  Finely  Executed  STEEL  MAPS. 

4.  Numerous  IMPROVED  HEADINGS. 

5.  A  Corrected  CHRONOLOGICAL  ORDER. 

6.  The  Poetical  Books  in  the  MKTRICAI.  FORM. 

7.  QUESTIONS  at  the  end  of  ewh  chapter  for  family  examination. 

8.  REFLECTIONS,  drawn  from  the.  subjt'cts  of  the  chapter,  and  giv- 
ing, in  a  condensed  form,  its  spiritual  import. 

9.  An  EXPOSITION  of  each  chapter,  containing  the  essence  of  the 
best  Commentators,  with  much  original  matter  by  the  Editor. 

10.  DATES  affixed  to  the  chapters  for  each  MORNING  and  EVENING'S 
HEADING,  comprising  the  whole  Bible  in  a  year. 

The  many  interesting  features  which  are,  for  the  first  time,  united 
in  this  edition  of  the  Bible  will  commend  it  to  all,  while  the  low  price 
at  which  it  is  sold  will,  it  is  hoped,  induce  thousands  to  purchase  it. 
The  engravings  are  not  mere  fanciful  decorations,  but  serve  to  illus- 
trate the  manners  and  customs  of  the  East,  so  as  greatly  to  facilitate 
the  study  of  the  Word  of  God. 

We  subjoin  a  few  notices  of  the  English  and  American  editions : 

"It  will  form  the  completes!,  compactest,  and  most  convenient  one- 
volume  Family  Bible  that  has  yet  appeared  "' — Christian  Witness. 

"  We  trust  that  tens  of  thousands  of  our  teachers,  and  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  their  elder  scholars,  with  all  Christian  families,  will  at 
once  order  the  Domestic  Bible." — Sunday  School  Magazine. 

"  Although  the  sacred  Hooks  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  have 
been  edited  in  almost  every  conceivable  varietv  of  form,  the  mass  of 
English  readers  have  never  yet  been  provided  with  a  Bible  so  smi- 


nently  adapted  for  general  use  as  is  the  one  now  before  us.'' — London 
Christian  Times. 

"This  edition  ol'  the  Bible  appears  to  combine  a  greater  amount  of 
needful  information,  judicious  comment,  and  help,  than  any  one  we 
know  of  equal  size." — If.  Y.  Evangelist. 

•'  It  is  a  work  which,  for  the  beauty  of  its  execution  and  the  con- 
densed variety  of  its  contents,  run  not  fail  to  recommend  itself  to  th? 
attention  of  American  families." — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  We  cheerfully  commend  it  as  one  of  the  most  complete  and  con- 
venient, as  well  as  one  of  the  cheapest  family  Bibles  that  has  appear- 
ed.1'— Christian  Observer  (Philad.) 

''The  edition  before  us  possesses  peculiar  merits.  We  d'xubt  not 
it  will  obtain,  as  it  deserves,  an  extensive  circulation.'' — Chn.  Chroni- 
cle (Philad.) 

"  We  hope  this  attempt  to  make  the  Scriptures  a  delight  will  be 
suitably  encouraged  by  the  religious  public  at  least." — Christian  Ad- 
vocate (Richmond,  Va.)  < 

"We  have  already  mentioned  with  commendation  this  reprint  ot 
an  illustrated  copy  of  the  S  cred  Scriptures.  The  poetical  parts  are 
printed  in  metrical  form,  and  in  several  respects  the  edition  is  happily 
adapted  to  the  family." — Presbyterian  (Philad.) 

"  We  deem  it  superior  as  a  family  Bible  for  ordinary  use  to  any 
thing  we  have  seen,  and  commend  it  to  all  who  would  desire  a  cheap 
and  valuable  edition  of  the  Divine  Word." — Central  Christian  Herald 
(Cincinnati.) 

'  It  strikes  us  as  the  most  useful  and  elegant  edition  altogether  that 


—Halloteell  (Me.)  Gazette 


— nuuuwtu  (  ivie.j  iruzeue. 

"  Despite  the  multiplicity  of  editions  of  the  Scriptures,  which  have 
been  projected  in  this  and  almost  every  other  country,  this  edition  we 
conceive  pre-eminentlv  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  people.1' — Lans 


ingburg  (N.  Y.)  Gazette. 

"No.  I.  of  this  new  serial  gives  great  promise  for  the  general  excel- 
lence of  this  work.  Many  new  features  will  be  introduced  tending  to 
make  it  the  most  desirable  of  family  Bibles." — New  Englander  (Bast.) 

"  We  like,  indeed,  the  whole  plan  of  the  work,  and  the  illustrations 
add  greatly  to  its  attractiveness.  We  should  like  to  see  it  in  every 
family."— New  York  Commercial. 

"The  plan  of  the  work  is  worthy  of  all  commendation.  We  know 
nothing  superior  to  it  for  general  iamily  use." — Sartain's  Union  Mag. 

"Its  mechanical  execution  is  superb,  and  it  combines  a  variety  of 
advantaces  in  its  literary  execution,  which  will  render  it  one  of  the 
most  convenient  as  well  as  eleaant  editions  of  the  Scriptures  ever 
offered  to  the  public." — Zion's  Herald. 

"This  is  a  valuable  work.  The  notes  attached  to  it  are  worth  far 
more  than  its  whole  price,  and  the  engravings  are  truly  elegant." — 
Olive  Branch. 

The  price  of  this  Bible  will  be  from  Seven  to  Twelve  Dollars,  »c 
cording  to  the  style  of  binding.  Orders  may  be  addressed  to 

SAMUEL  HUESTON,  139  NassatHBt.,  New  York. 


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